Genesis 33-35

January 11

Genesis 33-35

Jacob and his family continued on their journey toward Jacob;s borhter Esau. Though Esau was coming with four hundred men, Jacob continued with the promise that God would go with him. But something changed after his encounter with God. Jacob the heel grabber had a change of heart. Israel put the maidservants and their children first, then Leah and her children, and finally Rachel and Joseph. But instead of hiding in the back, Israel went to the front. He put himself in danger. He was willing to sacrifice himself for his family.

As Esau approached Israel bowed down to him. He submitted to his brother. Esau approached and hugged Jacob. He had forgiven him for stealing his blessing and birthright. He seemed genuinely glad to see Jacob and his family after all those years. Just as God forgives and invites us into the family, Esau forgave Jacob and welcomed him home.

Esau offered to accompany Jacob back home, but Jacob refused. Jacob gave Esau excuses for not needing anyone to walk with them, but he promised to meet him in Seir. But the old Jacob popped up somewhere  in there. Jacob went to Succoth instead of to Seir.

God called a meeting with Jacob. God told him to meet Him in Bethel, the place where Jacob saw the angels ascending and descending from heaven when he first left home and headed to his uncle’s. When Jacob got to Bethel, God appeared to him and blessed him. Then God reminded Jacob; “you will no longer be called Jacob, your name will be Israel.”

Sometimes we need to be reminded of who we are. We have an encounter with God and He adobts us as His children. He calls us by name. He changes who we are. Sometimes out of habit, or out of fear, or out of tradition, we slip back to our old way of living and thinking. When we do that, God wants to call a meeting with us. He wants to remind us that we are no longer that old person, we have been made new.

If we can begin to fathom what it means to be a child of God, the things of this world will no longer attract us. As the song says; “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.” May Jesus be your focus today as you live as His child.