Newton Hills State Park, Canton, South Dakota
Today, we’ll talk about the conversation between Jacob and Laban’s sons. We learn that Laban and his sons are pretty ticked about Jacob’s continuing prosperity and the weakening of Laban’s herds. No matter how often Laban changes his agreement with Jacob about the color of the herds Jacob can take with him, God sees to it that Jacob prospers. Isn’t it just like God to intervene in the smallest of details? And then one day, it happened. Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” (Gen 31:1-3) After receiving this revelation, he sends for Rachel and Leah and tells 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. You know that I’ve worked for your father with all my strength (for 20 years; see Gen 31:38), yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me. 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. So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.” (Gen 31:5-9) Then he tells the women about the dream he had where God spoke to him and told him to leave, “…for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.” In the end, both women willingly agree to go with Jacob. They aren’t happy with their father either, and they see that God has provided wealth and protection to Jacob. And by wealth, I don’t just mean livestock. There are also all those boys – eleven so far – which in those times, was also believed to be a sign of God’s provision and favor. And so, Jacob and all that was his, take off to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. (Gen 31:10-18) Jacob waited a long time for God to send him back home. He was patient and not willing to jump the gun, because he’s learned that to wait upon the Lord brings reward. But it’s hard to wait. How many times have we waited on God’s timing and found joy at the end? How many times have we jumped ahead on our own because we don’t want to, or feel we can’t, wait on Him? And consequently missed out on God’s blessing – more than likely not even realizing the blessing we’ve cast aside with our impatience?
The upper panel is God telling Jacob to leave Laban.
The bottom panel is Jacob telling Rachel and Leah.
Nothing much to talk about today. We walked around the campground and Park area, and at one point, we shared the scenic overlook with our neighbors across the street. Mom and three kids transplanted from the Bahamas – complete with accents. 😊 That’s quite a move! We talked for quite a while, but never found out why they were here instead of the tropics. They’re renting the trailer they’re staying in. Very nice people! And the view was so incredibly scenic, we didn’t even take a picture. (she said sarcastically). It truly was not scenic at all, but it’s probably beautiful come Fall.
That’s it for today! Enjoy the short post!