Dei Break
Genesis 31:1 - 33:20
Laban continued to play the part of the bereaved and misunderstood father, but not convincingly, as his daughters fled with Jacob. Why did Rachel steal the household gods? (31:19) Several reasons have been suggested: they probably related to fertility blessings; they were sometimes used for divination; they may have just been part of the worship learned from her father; but perhaps the most likely is that their possession could have legally guaranteed that the family inheritance would pass to the daughters and Jacob according to local laws. Whatever the reason, we see in Rachel a willingness to deceive that was almost equal to her husband's.
Having been warned by God not to force the issue of departure (31:24), Laban suggested establishing a covenant. Many church members have heard the blessing/benediction, "May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other," found in verse 49. Far from a loving, caring prayer, the words reflect a mood of distrust. Laban was saying something like, "May the Lord keep an eye on you when I can't, so you can't do me harm." The men had in reality concluded a non-aggression pact, and parted forever the next day.
After a separation of many years Jacob feared meeting Esau. What if his brother still wanted to kill him? What if Esau's men killed them all? Jacob's actions seem a combination of plotting and prayer. Perhaps his heart still waffled between trusting his own strength and trusting God. That would do much to explain his strange encounter.
What about the wrestling story? Can anyone wrestle with God and win? Jacob did, but not because he was stronger than God. Jacob the trickster, the manipulator, the man who tried to run on his own power, was confronted by the God Who loved him. For the first time in his life, Jacob found himself clinging to God, pleading with God not to leave him. Could God have broken Jacob's grip and disappeared? Of course, but He chose to stay and in staying He demonstrated to Jacob that he could not win against God and that he didn't really want to.
Next time: Joys and Trials
"Letting go" is contrary to our American upbringing. We are the ones who are supposed to be in control all of the time. Letting God take over is really hard if you are naturally capable, and worst of all, if a little "control-freak" is mixed in. Wish I had the easy answer for those of us who struggle with slowing down to seek God's input. I guess a good list of rules to follow would be to take a long look at the question or opportunity and ask the old cliche question of a decade ago--"What would Jesus do?" Another question to include might be, "Will going this direction harm anyone in any way; will it build family relationships or possibly harm them? I'm sure there are a lot of other guideline ideas out there. Oh, yeah--I almost forgot (again)--prayer before we decide anything.
Posted by: Sue | October 23, 2007 at 03:02 PM
Yes - trusting my own strength vs trusting God. For me, it is difficult to determine when to use my mind, heart, strength, and other gifts God gives us to find ways to deal with life's issues and when to "let go and let God". Looking back it is easy to see how God makes all things work together for good. But in the moment it can be hard to know if I am using my gifts to accomplish His purpose or is it just my PRIDE thinking IIIIII need to get something done. Is this a normal tension - daily asking God to "show me what to do" vs when to "let it be"?
Posted by: carole | October 22, 2007 at 09:05 AM