I Will Be With You

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

I WILL BE WITH YOU

Gen 31:1-9

31:1 Jacob heard that Laban's sons were saying, "Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father." 2 And Jacob noticed that Laban's attitude toward him was not what it had been. 3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you." 4 So Jacob sent word to Rachel and Leah to come out to the fields where his flocks were. 5 He said to them, "I see that your father's attitude toward me is not what it was before, but the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I've worked for your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. 8 If he said, 'The speckled ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks gave birth to speckled young; and if he said, 'The streaked ones will be your wages,' then all the flocks bore streaked young. 9 So God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me.

NIV

This interaction between Jacob and Laban is not over; however, the LORD had plans for Jacob, and it was time for him to return to his father’s household. The key in this part of Jacob's life is what the LORD told him. Although he was to return to his father's land, the best thing the Lord told Jacob was, “I will be with you.” Could we ask for anything more? If the Lord never did anything else for us, his being with us would be enough. Yet, as we recount all the times the Lord has performed miracles on our behalf, still, his being with us would be enough. As many times as the Lord has led us and caused us to prosper, his being with us would still be enough. The times he healed us, gave us renewed strength, and watched over us, it would still be enough to know he is always with us. He promised that he would never leave us or forsake us. So often we pray for a variety of things in our lives, wanting the Lord to do this or that for us. But more than anything, we want to know that He will be with us. All too often, when we pray, we just babble on and on and never spend enough time in silence to hear Him tell us, “I will be with you,” “I will lead you.” Jesus told those he encountered, "Follow me." That alone implies He will lead, and because He is leading, He is with us. Jacob acted immediately after hearing from the LORD, calling his wives to his side and telling them how the LORD had blessed him and that it was time to leave. This is the second great truth we should acknowledge. When the Lord tells us to do something, go someplace, or say something, we should spring into action and respond to his voice. When the Lord tells us we need to change our attitude or behavior, we must spring into action and comply. What else could it mean when the Lord tells us to follow him, or when he says, “I will be with you,” than that we should follow and do what he says?