Reconciliation

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land."  Genesis 28:15a

When Jacob fled from his brother Esau, God made a promise to guard him and bring him back to his home.  God kept that promise.  Jacob and his family had started back to the land of Canaan, and Genesis 32:1 tells us,  "Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him."  God has also promised never to leave us nor forsake us but to be with us and watch over us wherever we go as well, and we can believe and count on His promise as Jacob did.

Jacob had left home because his brother Esau was so angry with him that he threatened to kill him.  There had been no communication between the brothers all the years that Jacob had been gone, and Jacob didn't know if Esau was still angry. Jacob wanted his brother's forgiveness, and he sent gifts of livestock to Esau by way of making amends for deceiving him.  When we have wronged someone, we need to express one of the hardest things for us to say in the English language, "I'm sorry."  When Jacob approached his brother, he bowed down seven times before Esau to show how sorry he was.

The next scene in the story depicts a beautiful picture of forgiveness and reconciliation.  Genesis 33:4 says,  "But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.  And they wept."  Is there anyone with whom you need to be reconciled?  Do you, like Jacob, need to show that you are sorry for doing something you shouldn't have done?  Or do you, like Esau, need to forgive someone who has wronged you?  Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts you can give another person--and yourself.  

Father, thank You for forgiving all our sins.  May we apologize if we have wronged anyone else, and may we forgive anyone who has  wronged us. Amen.  

Jacob Goes Home

"The Lord said to Jacob, 'Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.'"  Genesis 31:3

After Joseph was born, Jacob discussed returning to his homeland with his father-in-law, Laban.  Laban realized that God had blessed him because of Jacob, and he didn't want Jacob to leave nor to take part of their sheep and goats with him.  Neither did Laban want Jacob to take his daughters and his grandchildren to a land five hundred miles away.  Jacob agreed to stay and work for Laban awhile longer.  Then Laban kept changing Jacob's wages, which were in livestock.  Laban was trying to gain an unfair advantage over Jacob, but God caused Jacob's flocks to multiply and prosper.

The atmosphere in the family began to change.  Laban's sons were saying,  "Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all his wealth from what belonged to our father."  Genesis 31:1b. Then Jacob noticed that there was a difference in Laban's attitude toward him.  Next Jacob received a word from God telling him to go back to the land where his family lived.  Jacob was observant of the circumstances and obedient to God's instructions.  While Laban was away shearing his sheep, Jacob, his family, and their flocks started on their journey.  When Laban returned and discovered that Jacob and his family were gone, he pursued them.  He caught up with them on the seventh day, but before he did God warned him not to try to prevent Jacob from returning to his homeland.  God was protecting His plan and His servant.  God had very specific plans for Jacob and his descendants, and a part of these plans included Jacob's return to the land of Canaan.  God worked in Jacob's circumstances, and He sent Jacob a personal message to be sure Jacob would fulfill his role in God's plans.

God often deals with us likewise.  He has very specific plans for each of our lives.  Often He guides us through circumstances, as He did Jacob.  And He sends us messages through His Word and through such channels as sermons, devotionals, and conversations with other people.  Are we watching and listening and obeying?

Father, thank You that You are willing to guide us on the paths You have chosen for each of us.  May we be aware of the ways You are guiding and be obedient to follow Your lead.  Amen.   

The Law of the Harvest

"Do not be deceived: God cannot  be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows."  Galatians 6:7

We often see certain habits and character traits being passed down in a family, from one generation to another.  As many admirable characteristics as Abraham had, he had one that is not to be admired.  Twice he lied about his relationship with his wife Sarah to protect himself.  He said that she was his sister rather than his wife.  She actually was his half-sister, but a half truth is still a lie.

Isaac's wife, Rebekah, and Isaac's son, Jacob, collaborated to deceive the old man, and Jacob received the blessing that ordinarily would have belonged to Esau.  Jacob fled from his angry brother and walked 500 miles to Haran, the town where Rebekah's relatives lived.  He moved in with his uncle Laban and fell in love with Laban's daughter Rachel.  Jacob offered to work for seven years if Laban would allow him to marry Rebekah, and Laban agreed to the deal.  But the deceiver, Jacob, was deceived by his wily uncle.  Jacob actually married Rachel's older sister, Leah, who must have been heavily veiled at the ceremony.  We see poetic justice in the way Laban treated Jacob.  God often punishes us in a way that is especially appropriate for whatever sin we have committed.  Warren Wiersbe wrote,  "The man who deceived his father was deceived by his father-in-law, and the man who passed himself off as the first-born son now receives Laban's first-born daughter to be his wife.  It's an inescapable law of life that we eventually reap what we sow."

     Leah, who had been a party to deceiving her sister, was never loved by Jacob as much as he loved Rachel, and this was always a source of sorrow for her.

     Think about your family--your children and, if you have any, your grandchildren and great grandchildren.  What characteristics would you like to pass down to them?  Are you living in such a way that you will be pleased if  they learn from you and imitate your attitudes and actions?

Father, may we model for our family and friends what is means to be Christlike.  When we reap what we have sown through the years, may we have a godly harvest.  Amen.   

The Lenten Season

    The purpose of observing the Lenten Season is for each person to prepare spiritually for remembering the death of Christ on the cross on Good Friday and celebrating His glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday.  Traditional acts of preparation have emphasized prayer, alms giving, and self denial, or fasting.  Specific customs have varied throughout the ages and from one denomination to another.

My friend Jo Cook says the Christian life is a pioneer life because God doesn't want any two people to live it exactly the same way.  This would certainly apply to each person's individual observance of Lent.  We must each decide what practices will best prepare our own hearts for the holy celebration of Easter.

Some people give up something they greatly enjoy for Lent.  Other people add something to their observance of Lent.  They may spend more time in prayer.  They may give time, energy, and/or money to some worthy cause or charitable organization.  Many people may choose a combination of ways to observe Lent.  I'm sure our Heavenly Father will be happy to direct us if we ask Him how He would like us to prepare spiritually for Easter.

Father, thank You for the cross and the resurrection.  Prepare our hearts to celebrate these anew this year.  Renew us spiritually during this season.  Amen.

God Is Sovereign

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28

God has made His plans, and nothing--neither people nor circumstances--can prevent His plans from coming to pass.

God is called "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," not "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau."  Before the twin boys were born, God stated His intention that the older, Esau, would serve the younger, Jacob.  In spite of Isaac's determination to pass along the blessing and family position which the eldest son usually inherited to his son Esau, Jacob actually received the blessing and headship of the family.  Before Jacob left home, Isaac specifically passed along the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob as well, in another blessing, saying, Genesis 28:3-4,  "May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.  May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land God gave to Abraham."
Jacob fled to the land of his mother's relatives to escape the anger of his brother.  He had been lovingly cared for by wealthy parents, but now he was on his own in a strange land.  He must have been lonely and frightened.  But God came to him in a dream at his time of great need and reassured him not only that He would be with him but that Jacob was in the line of God's promises to Abraham.  James Montgomery Boice writes,  "This was a great promise because it demonstrates that however badly we may have acted in the past--and however ashamed we may be by it--God is always able to begin with us where we are and use us as a channel for blessing in the lives of others."

Neither Isaac's determination nor Rebekah's devious scheme nor Jacob's deception nor Esau's hatred of his brother could derail God's plans for His chosen people, the Israelites.  And nothing and nobody can change any of the plans God has in mind.  God can take sinful behavior and adverse circumstances and weave them into His perfect will.  Our God is sovereign.  We can trust that He is always totally in charge.

Father, thank You that we can know You are in charge of all the circumstances of life, and Your plans will prevail.  Thank You for working all circumstances for our good if we love and obey You.  Amen.