The Road Home

 Genesis 31: 1-9

“1 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.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favorably as he did before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was 5 and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me as favorably as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. 6 You know that I have served your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me. 8 If he said, ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore speckled, and if he said, ‘The striped shall be your wages,’ then all the flock bore striped. 9 Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.”

Jacob was protected by God.  Laban, his uncle, had tried to cheat him but each time God shielded Jacob from any material harm and Jacob prospered in Haran.

But, God had other plans for Jacob.  God wanted him to travel back to the land of his ancestors, the land where his kindred still lived, the land where his brother Esau awaited him in the land of Canaan. 

The young Jacob would have remained hidden from Esau forever.  The mature Jacob, the transformed Jacob, the God strengthened Jacob, was ready to do as God requested.

Jacob was ready to turn away from his life of prosperity, and follow God wherever he led, as his grandfather Abraham had done many years before him.

And God led Jacob back home.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)