God Speaks to Laban

01/16/2007

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                  Focus:  God speaks to Laban

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Genesis 31:22-24

            Message of the verses:  “22  When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, 23  then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.  24  God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, ‘Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.’”  (NAS95)  “22  Laban didn’t learn of their flight for three days.  23  But when he did, he gathered a group of his relatives and set out in hot pursuit. He caught up with them seven days later in the hill country of Gilead.  24  But the previous night God had appeared to Laban in a dream. ‘Be careful about what you say to Jacob!’ he was told.”

            The text describes how Laban learned about Jacob leaving and so he gathers some of his family and goes out after Jacob and all of his family.  On the way to overtaking them God comes to Laban in a dream and tells him that he had better be careful what he has to say to Jacob.  It has been discussed in earlier SD’s that it would have been proper for Jacob to confront Laban and tell him of his plans, but he did not do this, and now when Laban here’s of this he comes out to get Jacob, which all could have been avoided if he would have not feared Laban and trusted the Lord’s promises to him.  God now comes to Laban in a dream and protects Jacob and his family this way, and I believe that God did this because Jacob and his family were in the plans of God in sending the Lord Jesus Christ to earth, and nothing would stop that plan.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I can see through these verses that nothing will be able to stop the plans of God.  I can also see that I should fear the Lord so that I do not have to fear man.  If Jacob would have trusted in the promises of God and not looked around at the situation around him then a lot of trouble could have been avoided. 

The Word of God had challenged my heart as I read and studied God Word this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  Trust in the Lord with all of my heart and not lean on my won understand, in all of my ways acknowledge Him and then He has promised to direct my path.  To continue to ask the Lord to teach me contentment, for godliness with contentment is great gain.