Servant

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

 SERVANT

Gen 32:13-21

13 He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, "Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds." 17 He instructed the one in the lead: "When my brother Esau meets you and asks, 'To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?' 18 then you are to say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.'" 19 He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: "You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. 20 And be sure to say, 'Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.'" For he thought, "I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me." 21 So Jacob's gifts went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.

NIV

Overall, Jacob sent many animals as a peace offering to Esau. The total numbered about 550, which he divided into 5 flocks and herds, each with manservants to tell Esau they were gifts from your servant Jacob. If he gave that many animals as gifts, it would seem he had far more, which would mean Jacob became extremely wealthy while working for Laban. Yet despite all his wealth and the manservants and maidservants under his authority, he presented himself to Esau as a servant. Was that simply out of fear because Esau was coming with 400 men? Did he do it because Jacob felt a sense of contrition or remorse for deceiving Esau out of his birthright? Had Jacob learned that lesson because Laban had deceived him many times? We are told that Jacob did this to pacify Esau, so fear was indeed his primary motive for all the gifts. Nevertheless, he still wanted to make peace with his brother, even though he wasn't sure why Esau brought 400 men. That may be the lesson we should take from the story. It is not about how wealthy or poor we are, or how powerful or powerless someone else might be; we should always be the one to pursue peace. Jesus taught that lesson by saying not to call anyone on earth "father," for we have only one Father in heaven, and not to call anyone "teacher," for we have only one Teacher, Christ. Then he said, "The greatest among you will be your servant, for whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." The idea is that a servant lives in humility before his master. Jacob's servants obeyed his commands. Although Jesus no longer calls us servants but friends, we are still subject to God's authority. However, since Jacob presented himself as his brother's servant, we should also learn to walk in humility with others, not thinking more highly of ourselves than we should, but thinking of ourselves as servants to our brothers. 

Preparation

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

PREPARATION

Gen 32:6-12

6 When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, "We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him." 7 In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. 8 He thought, "If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape." 9 Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.'"

NIV

Jacob felt great fear and distress, and he responded by preparing. After considering separating his company into two groups, he made the greatest preparation possible: he prayed. Although Jesus gave us an example of the structure of prayer, Jacob did not have that teaching, so he started by acknowledging that God was the God of Abraham and Isaac, who came to visit them, who spoke with them, who made a covenant with them, and who now had renewed that covenant with him. Our God, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Jacob acknowledged his unworthiness before God's kindness and faithfulness. By God's divine will, God demonstrates his kindness and faithfulness in Jacob's life and in ours. He prayed that God would save him from his brother Esau's hand, for he feared Esau intended evil toward him.  We pray for God to deliver us from evil. Jacob reminded God of his covenant to make him prosper and have so many descendants that they could not be counted. We pray that his will be done in our lives, that he will cause us to prosper, which could mean material prosperity as well as spiritual. Certainly, as we spend time with the Lord through his word, the Spirit, and prayer, we prosper beyond measure. The point we should always remember, as Jacob did, is that God does the work in our lives. He is the one who makes us prosper. Yes, we must make every effort to enter the narrow gate, live in peace and mutual edification, keep the unity of spirit, and add the qualities of goodness, knowledge, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love to our faith. But no matter how much effort we put in, it is insignificant compared to God's work in our lives. Our efforts are useless unless they align with the divine will of the one who gives us all things. Jacob prayed in preparation before meeting Esau. Prayer should always prepare us for life. Let us make our preparation to meet Jesus.

 

A Message

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

A MESSAGE

Gen 32:1-5

32:1 Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is the camp of God!" So he named that place Mahanaim.   3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He instructed them: "This is what you are to say to my master Esau: 'Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. 5 I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.'"

NIV

Jacob is now on his own; he and Laban have made their peace, establishing a covenant before the heap and the pillar, before the God of Abraham and Isaac. After Jacob went on his way, angels of God met him. We are not told whether Jacob and the angels of God spoke, but meeting angels would have been an incredible experience. Yet, why would they meet him if not to bring a message from God? Perhaps the message instructed him to make restitution to his brother Esau, since that was Jacob's next step: he sent messengers ahead of him to Esau. Two truths apply to our lives. First, to get a message from God is an awesome experience. The Lord could get a message to us in various ways. He could send an angel, or even angels, to meet with us and give us instructions. He could speak directly to us through the Holy Spirit, who inspires thoughts and moves within our hearts with direction and instruction, or with his own audible voice. He can speak to us through his word, to either rebuke, correct, teach, or train us in righteousness. He could also encourage, enlighten, and bless us beyond measure. We might entertain angels of God without realizing it, though Jacob was very aware; angels met him as he named that place, two camps. Either way, the Lord speaks or sends us a message; our lives will be enhanced. Second, Jacob began the process of making restitution with his brother Esau. This should guide us, or give us a message from the Lord, on how to make restitution with anyone we have been separated from because of conflict. Jacob offended his brother, which enraged Esau to the point that he wanted to kill him. It was right that Jacob should initiate restitution. If we have caused harm to another, however it happened, we should also make restitution. As we will see, it is more than just saying, "I'm sorry." But we will leave that truth until we see Jacob and Esau meet. Meanwhile, let us stay aware that God always wants to bring us a message, and that he will use whatever means he desires and needs to make sure we hear from him. We want to hear his message. 

Look To The Lord

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

LOOK TO THE LORD

Gen 31:51-55

51 Laban also said to Jacob, "Here is this heap, and here is this pillar I have set up between you and me. 52 This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me. 53 May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us." So Jacob took an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac. 54 He offered a sacrifice there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal. After they had eaten, they spent the night there. 55 Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.

NIV

There was the pillar and a heap, both of stones. Interestingly, Laban claimed he set up the heap and the pillar, even though Jacob had his relatives gather the stones and set up the pillar and the heap. Laban also claimed that all Jacob had was his: his daughters, their children, and his flocks of sheep. Laban appears prideful, greedy, selfish, and self-centered. Everything is about Laban. Although Jacob left on the sly, so to speak, without Laban's knowledge, Laban wants this heap to be the point of separation between him and Jacob. The lives of Jacob and Laban serve as two examples for us today. Laban shows that greed and self-centeredness do not look good. Because of his greed, he was also a cheat and a liar, repeatedly deceiving Jacob by changing the agreement or Jacob's wages. Jacob shows us a different view. He worked for twenty years to obtain all he had. His labor protected and increased Laban's flocks and herds, and he also gained possessions for himself, but that surely was because the LORD was with him. Laban served his man-made gods long enough to spend seven days chasing him and accusing him of stealing them, yet he declares a covenant in the name of the God of Abraham, Nahor, and their father, Terah. However, he did not say, "his God," only the God of his ancestors. We are not told that Jacob worshipped anyone other than God. In Fact, when he set out on his journey under his father's direction, Jacob declared that if God would direct his path and he succeeded, God would be his God. Later, the people of Israel used the term "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" to declare who their God is. Once again, we should consider if we have created a god of our own making. Not that we do not worship the Lord God Almighty and have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but are we looking to something we have, or have worked to obtain, as something of value? What we value can become a treasure, and we are told not to store up treasures here on earth, but to lay up treasures in heaven, where rust and moth cannot destroy them. Laban looked to his possessions and his god as sources of value he created himself. Jacob understood his labor and success were because the LORD was with him. This is the story of two men: one who looks to self, the other looks to the LORD. Let us always look away from self, and keep our eyes on the Lord, for He is our God, and we are His people. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. 

The Witness

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE WITNESS

Gen 31:43-50

43 Laban answered Jacob, "The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? 44 Come now, let's make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us." 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 He said to his relatives, "Gather some stones." So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, and Jacob called it Galeed.   48 Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." That is why it was called Galeed. 49 It was also called Mizpah, because he said, "May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other. 50 If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me."

NIV

Although Jacob worked diligently for twenty years to pay Laban for his two wives and all the flocks he had acquired through an agreement, Laban still considered everything his. That would be like working for an agreed wage, only for the employer to say all your wages belong to him. Yet he understands he can do nothing about it, so he wants to make a covenant with Jacob and let it be a witness between them. Again, we do not understand how, after Laban spent seven days chasing Jacob over his idols and calling them gods, he made that statement about the LORD keeping watch between them. If he is concerned about the LORD keeping watch between them, why did he still want his idols? It almost seems Laban is using Jacob's fear of the LORD as a weapon or threat: if Jacob does anything wrong, God is watching him; God is a witness between them. This may be true for our lives. Although we may not make an official covenant with people, except our spouses, the LORD watches how we treat others. First, let us focus on the covenant we made with our spouse before God. That may not mean we are perfect in all we do or that we never make mistakes, but that is the point of a covenant. We are held together, bonded to each other, no matter what. Those words: " What God has joined together, let no man put asunder."  That was the covenant Laban made with Jacob; he made it in the presence of the LORD, and no one could break it. A covenant declares the Lord is the witness between them. Although we make that official covenant with our spouses, we should also remember that the Lord witnesses how we behave toward others, in attitude and action. When some believers, non-believers, or even relatives disappoint or offend God, and thus us, because we belong to God, we wonder what kind of witness we are before God. Maybe it comes down to the truth that God is our witness. 

He Sees Us

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

HE SEES US

Gen 31:38-42

38 "I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. 39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. 40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. 41 It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. 42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you."

NIV

There is a difference between sitting and waiting for God to bless us, and laboring, even under hard circumstances, because of trust in God. Jacob is an example of someone who knew the God of Abraham and Isaac; the people of Israel also knew the God of Jacob, who feared the LORD and did right in his conduct and affairs with Laban. He worked under extreme conditions for twenty years, profiting Laban, even though Laban was unfair to Jacob. This gives us a clue as to how we should approach life. Whatever the Lord has led us to do with our hands, we should do that work as though it is for the Lord. Paul wrote that truth to the Colossians. That truth included the promise that we will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. We are serving the Lord. This applies to us as individuals, but it should also apply to the church. We should not come to church out of habit or because we think we are supposed to. We should want to worship our Lord and do what he has called us to do, as a church. Jacob knew God watched over him, saw his hardship, and sustained him as he labored for Laban. This is the basic truth we must always remember: God sees our labor, watches over us, and cares for us. At the same time, we must remember that we are to do whatever he leads our hands to do. Our lives belong to him, and by confessing that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we give up our right to make our own choices. That does not mean we cannot choose which day to go shopping, when to do laundry, or other daily activities. The choice we surrender to our Lord is about our life goals and the direction of our lives, both as individuals and as the church. If we go through life on autopilot, going through the motions, but our hearts aren't fully committed to how the Lord works in and through us, we may lose sight of who we are and that we belong to him. Jacob knew God had dealt with Laban for his benefit. We can see this truth in our lives. God may work through others to advance the plan He has for our lives. It comes down to this: God is in charge; He leads, we follow. He gives us the work of our hands. He sees us. 

Priorities

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

PRIORITIES 

Gen 31:31-37

31 Jacob answered Laban, "I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. 32 But if you find anyone who has your gods, he shall not live. In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself whether there is anything of yours here with me; and if so, take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods. 33 So Laban went into Jacob's tent and into Leah's tent and into the tent of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. After he came out of Leah's tent, he entered Rachel's tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them inside her camel's saddle and was sitting on them. Laban searched through everything in the tent but found nothing. 35 Rachel said to her father, "Don't be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I'm having my period." So he searched but could not find the household gods. 36 Jacob was angry and took Laban to task. "What is my crime?" he asked Laban. "What sin have I committed that you hunt me down? 37 Now that you have searched through all my goods, what have you found that belongs to your household? Put it here in front of your relatives and mine, and let them judge between the two of us.

NIV

This exchange between Jacob and Laban is not finished. Jacob didn't know Rachel had taken her father's gods and hidden them. Jacob is indignant that Laban accused him of stealing his gods. It is strange how much effort Laban went to, chasing after Laban for seven days to accuse him and retrieve his gods, his images, idols. Jacob freely allowed Laban to search everywhere in all his belongings. Rachel lied to her father because she felt he had been unfair to her: he sold her and then didn't give her an inheritance. Certainly, that was wrong, but we cannot judge her or Laban, as they show the imperfection of all humankind. Although our story comes from the previous verses, Laban chased Jacob for seven days because of his missing gods. How much effort did Laban put into his gods, idols of stone, wood, metal, or some other material? These were gods that had no eyes to see, no ears to hear, and no mouth to speak. However, he still worshipped them. We wonder how much effort we put into things that cannot hear, see, or speak. Of course, we have our daily work, our daily tasks that everyone has to live. We own or possess many things that take time to maintain, use, enjoy, and be entertained by. Many of them may well be blessings from the Lord; however, we never worship them. They are just inanimate objects; yet we wonder whether we spend more time with our possessions than with the one who provided the way for us to have them. We serve the Creator, not the things created, either by him, such as nature, or by man, such as all the things we have. It is not that we cannot enjoy both nature and things, but our lives are due solely to the Lord, and he means everything. Let us spend all seven days of every week seeking him and his righteousness first; then all this stuff is from his pleasure to bless us. Laban's priority was his gods. He chased after and searched for his false gods. Let us chase after and search for the one true God; that is our first priority.