Monday, April 19, 2010

A Pattern of running from Trouble

Genesis 31:17-


Is running away from trouble a pattern for you?  It is for many and the reasons are also many; fear in numerous forms, the desire to be free from responsibility, a dream of something over the horizon, and you may want to add to the list.  To our knowledge this is the second time for Jacob to run from someone, and also to someone.  The first time he is running from his brother Esau who plans to kill him, but he is also running to his Uncle Laban, whom both his parents have commanded him to do.  This account is Jacob running from Laban to his father’s house, and once again, it is out of both fear of Laban and in obedience to the God of his father’s.

Beginning in verse seventeen, “So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels.  He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac.”  Jacob did not allow his wives or his children to say goodbye to anyone, not neighbors, not cousins, and especially not to granddad.  When we lived in Spring, Texas, we had a couple who were the first to welcome us to the neighborhood; I served on the Water Board for fourteen years with the husband, we spent time at each others homes on special occasions.  Then one day, one of the neighbors told us they had moved, it came as a shock, what had happened, why would they not let us in on such a move, and to this day we wonder what happen.  I can only imagine what Jacob’s father-in-law is feeling at this time.

He has not only lost his daughters, and his grandchildren, and someone has taken his property, and his household gods.   Without Jacob’s knowledge Rachel who feels as if her father has sold her as he would his sheep, slipped into Laban’s tent and steals his idol that he uses to bring him luck.  It is important to note, that Laban knows about God but he puts his trust in an image he can see, and he is not that much different than many in churches today.  It is also worth mentioning, that the word luck should not be in a Christian’s vocabulary. 

It is three days before Laban is told and he and his sons are wanting a piece of Jacob, in fact, it could be assumed that they planned on not only taking back the flocks but also their sisters and Laban’s grandchildren.  You might assume that they planned on giving Jacob a choice, leave with little or nothing or die.  What they did not know is that God has already promised Jacob that he would be with him, and it was God who Jacob is obeying.  It is also clear that God did not want Jacob to physically harm his kinfolks, so he warned Laban the night before in a dream, not to do anything to Jacob. 

We, like Jacob, cannot know the heart of Laban, but we can read the account in verses 26-29 where Laban tells Jacob, you tricked me and took my daughters like captives, and did not let me throw you a going away party or even kiss my grandchildren.  Picking up in verse thirty where Laban is telling Jacob you went over the line and I cannot let you get by with this.  “And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.  Anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsmen point out what I have that is yours, and take it.”  Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.”

The Scripture tells us that Laban searched the tents and Rachel was able to hide the images from her father and then Jacob lit into Laban.  How often anger and fear controls us, and that is not pleasing to our Lord.  The apostle James moved by the Holy Spirit gives this council, “Who is wise and understanding among you?  By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.  But the wisdom above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:13-17)

From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

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