God understands exactly what we need, even before we do. He understood that Jacob's living situation was growing less comfortable due to his success, and so he gave Jacob a direct and reassuring command:
Go home.
This happens so often in the real world that we sometimes fail to notice it. When people remain in God, he takes care of everything. Though life isn't about worldly success, God has a tendency to bring success to those that trust him.
And oftentimes, this success makes other people uncomfortable, for whatever reasons. I can think of a few off the top of my head, none of which are very happy ways of living. But when other people get this attitude of awkwardness, God wants to remind us that He will be with us. He's not going to let anything touch us, and his love more than makes up for anyone else's resentment.
I love that God communicates through dreams.
Jacob and his family escaped, which feels like a somewhat shady thing to do. I don't exactly understand why they didn't like talk to Laban, or at least leave a note. And Rachel stole things too, which looks less than innocent.
It's pretty hilarious that it took Laban three stinking days to find out that his son-in-la left. You'd think he would notice before then.
As previously mentioned, I love how God works through dreams. I love that He isn't limited to one sort of message in dreams. Here, in verse 24, God protects Jacob through one of Laban's dreams. That's seriously awesome.
It's beautiful too, that Laban told Jacob that he wanted to give him a grand send-off, when Jacob had been feeling so disliked by his wives' father.
I don't understand what exactly Rachel stole- gods? I thought she believed in THE God- the Creator that paints the sky with water colors and flips the stars on and off at night. But the point is, she stole something, and Jacob was painfully unaware.
"But if you find anyone who has your gods, that person 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." (Genesis 31:32 NIV)
And then Rachel had another grand idea. She hid them by sitting on them, and used the whole "I can't get up, I'm on my period" trick. No kidding, that's in the Bible.
So Laban searches and find nothing, because Rachel cannot stand, and then Jacob gives this whole angry monologue that's definitely a little unjustified, considering that Rachel was being extra human that day and was lying through her teeth.
I take Laban's answer pretty much as "whoa whoa whoa! Chill out. Let's just forget about it, alright? Truce?"
Jacob and Laban essentially make a contract out of rocks, take an oath of peace toward each other, eat, and then have a bros night sleepover.
Like most boys, they seemed to have a true inability to hold a grudge. I do not possess that quality.
The next morning, Laban left, letting everyone give him the perfect sendoff, and they all lived happily ever after.
Genesis 32
Do you ever feel like the angels of God meet you? I don't necessarily mean physically, but do you ever feel a complete sense of togetherness and protection when you appear to be by yourself? I don't know. It probably strikes everyone differently. But that's how it feels to me.
I have a little brother. Well, he's 15 months littler. Colton is one of my favorite people on planet Earth, but I still know that I've failed him or damaged our relationship more times than I can count. Every time I do, I get super nervous to see him. I offer him money to pay for things, pretty much doing everything in my power to get back on his good side.
Jacob does that here, too, only with livestock. You must remember that this is the olden days.
If Colton reacted to my gifts like Esau did, it would probably be a message as short as "we need to talk. Coming to find you." And I would die of anxiety.
Jacob's fear made him turn to God. That's how He works situations for his purpose.
Then Jacob sets aside all the gifts - over 340 animals- for his brother, maybe hoping that the animals would put such a huge barrier between his brother and him that they wouldn't have to talk.
The second half of this chapter isn't something I've read before - Jacob physically and mentally wrestles with God. A man wrestles Jacob, and I think this man is one of the many forms of God. I love the line that says that the man "saw that he cold not overpower him." God doesn't overpower us, either. He's down to wrestle, but what he wants more than anything is a relationship with us, and certainly that doesn't mean one by his force. But even when this man left Jacob, he gave Jake a little pain in his hip as a reminder.
So God gives us little reminders of him throughout the day, even when we're wrestling Him.
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