Today was Genesis 31 - 34 It was about Jacob leaving Laban and moving back to his native land. This was kind of heavy for me, cause the last Jacob left his brother was set to kill him - not saying he didn't deserve it! But, he heard from God that it was ok to go back home. So he set out to do just that. Except he was a bit of a chicken and left in the middle of the night without telling Laban - now Jacob was also taking Laban's daughters and grandchildren. I think this story is something we do every day... all day... If Jacob heard from God... why compromise certain parts of what God told you to protect yourself? He ran away at night in fear of something going wrong... but IF God told him to do something wouldn't God have the details in order too??? Yes.. and Yes I am guilty! So Laban and Jacob kiss and make up and all is good - they make a covenant between each other and everything is great. But then Jacob hears that Esau is coming to meet him and he is sooo scared... As if God didn't know this already too... He has it all under control (that was kind of a statement just for me!) .. So Jacob is scared, he sends animals as gifts, splits up his people, etc... all to protect himself. lol when the time comes Esau is just sooo soo happy to have his brother back.
It kind of makes me a little teary eyed - because I don't think Jacob could ever even imagined that as a possibility... and that is exactly how God works. He never ever closes a door to push you through a window! If he closes a door like he did with Jacob - sent him away from where he had been living - he is going to open a wall... it it going to be way better than what you just left! Jacob was reunited with his brother.. that was a miracle!
In the midst of all this the night before Jacob met with Esau he "wrestled with God" ... God wasn't winning but either was Jacob, so God touched his hip which ended up giving Jacob a limp... again this is something so dear to me, I have always believed that we all have something to bring us to our knees ... otherwise we wouldn't have the constant reminder that we TRULY TRULY need Jesus. This limp of Jacobs was his... I bet he never forgot that night of physically wrestling with God... and I bet it always brought him to prayer.
I am astounded every day on how God moves... HE KNOWS... especially when we don't!!!
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