Jacob's Meeting with Rachel & Laban

12/21/2006

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Jacob’s meeting with Rachel & Laban

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Genesis 29:1-13

            Message of the verses:  “1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east.  2 He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.  3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.  4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran."  5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him."  6 And he said to them, "Is it well with him?" And they said, "It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep."  7 He said, "Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them."  8 But they said, "We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep."

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.  10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept.  12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.  13 So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things.”

            It is kind of difficult to understand how much Jacob was trusting in the Lord as he continued on his journey to meet his mother’s brother, and also his cousins who would then become his wives, but one thing for sure the Lord was looking out for Jacob, for he was the one whom the covenant blessings had been given to and therefore this entire plan of God to bring His own Son into the world would be part of this story that begins in these first thirteen verses of this chapter.

            I would think that the meeting of the Lord at Bethel certainly gave confidence to Jacob as he took it upon himself to move the large stone away from the top of the well so that Rachel’s sheep could be watered, he seems to be a new and different person, but Jacob the man who had tricked his brother two times was about to be tricked himself, and tricked for twenty years before he would return home.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  One thing that I can learn from these early stories in Genesis is that God has a plan, and God’s plan evolves people and as I read these stories I have confidence that the Lord has a plan for my life, and therefore I must trust Him to reveal what that plan is for me and follow it, and while on the way through life I must grow in my love and commitment to the Lord as He works His plan for me through me.

God’s Word has been refreshment to me as I read and studied it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to work out His plan for my life, and to continue to learn contentment in my life and also to continue to seek the Lord to direct my path.