Jacob Flees Laban

God Blesses and Recreates

God Blesses Jacob and Rachel

Genesis 31:1-9 The Message

31 1-2 Jacob learned that Laban’s sons were talking behind his back: “Jacob has used our father’s wealth to make himself rich at our father’s expense.” At the same time, Jacob noticed that Laban had changed toward him. He wasn’t treating him the same.
3 That’s when God said to Jacob, “Go back home where you were born. I’ll go with you.”
4-9 So Jacob sent word for Rachel and Leah to meet him out in the field where his flocks were. He said, “I notice that your father has changed toward me; he doesn’t treat me the same as before. But the God of my father hasn’t changed; he’s still with me. You know how hard I’ve worked for your father. Still, your father has cheated me over and over, changing my wages time and again. But God never let him really hurt me. If he said, ‘Your wages will consist of speckled animals’ the whole flock would start having speckled lambs and kids. And if he said, ‘From now on your wages will be streaked animals’ the whole flock would have streaked ones. Over and over God used your father’s livestock to reward me.

For Reflection

The story of Jacob and Laban is a peculiar story about which I can't seem to get a robust notion.  We are in part a product of our experiences. Here we see Jacob's selfish urges dominate him with unsatisfying results.

Throughout this story, Jacob changes. He controls his egoistic urges and becomes more righteous. Perhaps over the twenty years of service to Laban, he saw the worst of himself reflected in Laban. In a sense, suffering Laban's treachery helped Jacob find that point in his soul which with God's help ignited Jacob's transformation.

Pray

Pray so that your suffering, mild or severe, ignites that spark in your soul that makes you yearn for the life God has intended you to enjoy.  Pray so that you will strive to achieve God's will for you and all of humanity.

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