Jacob's Prayer Part-Three

2/08/2007 9:04 PM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                  Focus:  Jacob’s Prayer Part 3

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Genesis 32:11

            Message of the verse:  “11  "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children.”

            Jacob is very honest with the Lord in this portion of his prayer, for he says that he is frightened of Esau, and so he tells the Lord about his fears.  Jacob was the kind of man who had fears, and therefore he was not overconfident of his power to solve problems with his might, but now relies upon the Lord to handle his fears.  God will use all types of people, especially those that are His own, and it seems that just as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians “when I am weak then I am strong,” saying this because he knew when he was weak the Lord would use His strength to work in Paul’s life, as He would use Jacob’s weakness to show Himself strong.  Latter on in the book of Exodus God would show His power by defeating the Egyptians and allow a much weaker Israel to leave with all of the spoils of Egypt, and then would defeat the much stronger Canaanite people with Israel, and He does all of this to show himself strong, and to show His glory.

            God has promised to use Jacob, as he was part of the Abrahamic covenant, and yet Jacob did not rely upon these promises that God had given to him, but was still afraid, but in the end God would take care of him as He promised to do so.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I would suppose that I am a lot like Jacob, in lacking courage at certain times of my life, and then not relying upon the promises of God that He has given to me, so I too must do as Paul spoke of and when I am weak that I will be strong in the Lord.

The Word of God has been convicting and challenging to my heart as I read it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord through these anxious times, that He will continue to teach me contentment and that He will continue to direct my path.