unfulfilled promise?

Hebrews 11:20

Isaac is the patriarch to whom the author turns his attention next but he only gets the briefest of mentions. I have to wonder if Isaac was a bit of a failure. He certainly had all the potential to be a great person of faith. He was the promised son (although Abraham was clear that he was not the Promised Son) through whom the promises of God to Abraham would be fulfilled. Yet, he remains pretty obscure in Scripture for someone that was carrying all that promise and he barely warrants a mention in this list of people of great faith. Even the thing he is commended for is pretty weak: by faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. Which sounds pretty cool. It sounds like Isaac looked into what was unseen and made bold predictions about the future of Jacob and Esau. The problem is that the biblical record in Genesis indicates that he intended to give Esau the blessing he gave to Jacob. Jacob and his mom tricked Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing intended for Esau. From the record in Genesis, it is clear that Isaac's intentions were contrary to God's intentions. Isaac favoured Esau even though God had clearly indicated that Jacob was the one who would carry the line of the Promised Seed.
So here's what I take away about God from this passage: 1) that his ways are not the ways of the world. In Isaac's time, Esau should have been the one who received the blessing because he was the oldest. Even in our time, Esau was the more deserving. Jacob was a weasel; a sneaky, underhanded younger brother. But God chose to bless Jacob. 2) that God will fulfill his purpose and his promise even when humans are working in the opposite direction. Isaac's intention was to bless Esau but God's intention was to bless Jacob. In the end, God won (he always does!). 3) God is incredibly gracious. Despite all the unfulfilled potential and promise of Isaac, he still fulfilled the intention of God and finds himself on the list of people of great faith. That's the grace of God on display!
Besides a better picture of God, I'm taking away from this passage that it is better to join God on his plans and in his work no matter who much better I think my plans are or how illogical God's work seems. He will accomplish his purpose and my only choice is to join him or be against him. I think it's pretty clear what happens when I work against the purposes of God...