Failing by Bowing Instead of Limping (Gen. 33:3-7)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 02-27-2007

 

My Worship Time                                       Focus:  Failing by Bowing Instead of Limping

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Genesis 33:3-7

 

            Message of the verses:  “3  But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.  4  Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.

5 He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, "Who are these with you?" So he said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."  6 Then the maids came near with their children, and they bowed down.             7 Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down.”

 

It will take time for Jacob to realize that after fighting with the Lord that He will continue to take care of him and also his family, but he certainly does not remember it whenever he meets up with Esau.  Verse four shows that Esau just wanted to be friends with Jacob and certainly did not remember all of the things that happened to them before, and if he did he was not holding it against Jacob for he could see that both of them should get past it and have moved on with their lives.  Jacob on the other hand was still frightened of Esau and that is why he had all of his family, including himself, bow down to Esau.  Dr. Wiersbe points out that Jacob should have shown Esau his limp and then he would have had opportunity to talk to him about the Lord.

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that what I can learn from this is that just as Jacob, I am a child of the Lord and therefore have many promises given to me from the Lord that I should rely upon and not fear what will happen to me, but trust in the promises of the Lord to get me through each and every day of my life.

 

The Word of God had been both convicting and a challenge to my heart as I read and studied God’s Word this morning.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust in the promises of the Lord and not ask for explanations as to why things happen.  Continue to seek the Lord to teach me contentment, and to direct my path.  And to trust that the Lord is in control of what will happen as far as a job with Tim, or to stay at the job I have with the church.

 

Memory verse of the week:  Ec. 1:14 “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.”