Jacob to Israel – A Life Transformed – 7

Jacob was experiencing a backlash to his success from his brother-in-laws, the sons of Laban. They were jealous and felt that Jacob had robbed them of their inheritance, in truth it had fallen into Jacobs hands due to their lack of desire and understanding. They had assumed that they would automatically inherit all that belonged to their father. In the same way we can never assume our inheritance, a Salvation that is rightfully ours in God will automatically be given or shared with us. There has to be a spirit within a man or a woman that says ‘I am committed to following the Lord’ and submitting myself to Him and His ways in order to gain eternal life. God gives unconditionally to those who seek Him. ‘Seek you first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you‘

Jacob now had no option but to flee, or had he? could he have faced Laban and talked it through? I don’t believe he could have because Laban had not entered into any kind of experience with Almighty God like Jacob had, there had been no ‘God Encounter’ that we read about. So Jacob runs away and the issue is brought to a head. 

Laban pursues Jacob for seven days and during that time God appeared to Laban (Genesis 31:24) and said do not speak good or bad to Jacob, in other words do not challenge him, undermine him, chastise him, rebuke him, agree with him. In other words you leave him to me, I am almighty God and Jacob is my property, I will deal with him in my way and my time.

It is reassuring to know that God has a plan that includes you and me. A plan that culminates around the cross where God allowed His Son to die so that you and I could enter into a relationship, so that you and I can have ‘God Encounters’, encounters that shape our lives and draw us into a closer walk with Christ through the continued outworking of the Holy Spirit that seeks and saves that which is lost. A plan that He continues to accomplish and fulfill throughout our lives.

Jacob is able to continue his life’s journey not knowing that he is about to have another dramatic ‘God Encounter’ that will again dramatically change his life forever.

Sometimes it’s best not to know in advance how or when God is going to show up but to live a life that trusts in Almighty God and His PLAN for each of us.

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