February 22nd - Reflection

Genesis 31:1-3, 17-50 (NRSV)
Laban and Jacob reconcile
Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, "Jacob has taken all that was our father's; he has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father." And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favorably as he did before. Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you." ...

So Jacob arose, and set his children and his wives on camels; and he drove away all his livestock, all the property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father's household gods. And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. So he fled with all that he had; starting out he crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. So he took his kinsfolk with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, "Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad."


Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsfolk camped in the hill country of Gilead. Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done? You have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword. Why did you flee secretly and deceive me and not tell me? I would have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre. And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? What you have done is foolish. It is in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, 'Take heed that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.' Even though you had to go because you longed greatly for your father's house, why did you steal my gods?" Jacob answered Laban, "Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsfolk, point out what I have that is yours, and take it." Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.

So Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah's tent, and entered Rachel's. Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel's saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt all about in the tent, but did not find them. And she said to her father, "Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me." So he searched, but did not find the household gods.

Then Jacob became angry, and upbraided Laban. Jacob said to Laban, "What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? Although you have felt about through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsfolk and your kinsfolk, so that they may decide between us two. These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself; of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. It was like this with me: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night."


Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, "The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about their children whom they have borne? Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be a witness between you and me." So Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a pillar. And Jacob said to his kinsfolk, "Gather stones," and they took stones, and made a heap; and they ate there by the heap. Laban called it Jegar sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. Laban said, "This heap is a witness between you and me today." Therefore he called it Galeed, and the pillar Mizpah, for he said, "The Lord watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other. If you ill treat my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, though no one else is with us, remember that God is witness between you and me."

Reflection
Jacob was a hard worker, taking what would be rejected by Laban and putting it all to good use and growing the flocks. But as Jacob worked hard Laban's sons became jealous of Jacob. Sometimes family can make life miserable. So the Lord told Jacob to go back to his father's land. God assured Jacob that he would be with Jacob on the journey.

So Jacob goes. Goes unannounced to his land. Laban runs after Jacob. Having grandchildren and daughters myself, I could see why. Laban wanted a chance to say goodbye. It's interesting that God was sort of a mediator in the argument between Jacob and Laban. God loves both men and wants a relationship with both men and the men to have a relationship with one another. Relationships based on love not suspicion.

But Laban was still suspicious. His failed inspection proved him wrong. But he really wasn't wrong, just a bad inspection. So here we have come flawed people together, who finally agree to live in peace with one another. They sort of agree to disagree on some issues and take God as their witness.

God uses us sinful people to unfold his plan in our lives. God is active in the lives of each one of us individually and all of us corporately. God has a way of taking the flawed people of his and making miracles. God has a way about it.

Learn to love and trust God and obey. Learn to love your neighbor and trust that God will make all things right. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, when I think of how you move through my life and the lives of those around me, I'm amazed. You bring us together at the time we are pulling apart and unite us in your love and grace. Teach us this love that we may live with one another in harmony, peace and love...today...tomorrow...and forever. --- Amen