Day 22 – Genesis 30-31

Talking Points

• Jacob has 12 sons, but his home is full of strife, jealousy, and competition, as they live in bigamous relationships and distrust of God and His plan. Yet, God is still sovereign, and He moves His plan for His people forward.
• Jacob desires to leave his father-in-law and go to his own country. Laban, realizing that God has blessed him greatly because of Jacob, convinces him to stay in return for part of the flock that would be born.
• Laban and his sons become jealous of Jacob, as his flock grows and he becomes “exceedingly prosperous” (30:43).
• Through a dream, God instructs Jacob to leave and return to Canaan.

Thoughts

I can’t help but wonder, as I read about all the bickering, backstabbing, jealousy, and strife in these homes. What if we really took God at His Word? What if we didn’t try to take matters into our own hands? What if we truly believed that God’s plan was the best way to live and we followed His commands? How many heartaches might we be saved? How peaceful would our lives be? What kind of impact would it have on our relationships with Him? With other people?

I want to live a life of faith in our good God. I want to trust in His plan, in His timing, in His love for me and for others. While the starting place may be obvious: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-39), the next step is the key ingredient. I must learn to absolutely trust the God I love. The thing about our good God is that, when we look to Him, He will grow our trust and love in step.