Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 35:16-29.

“16 Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor. 17 When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for now you have another son.” 18 It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21 Then Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

22 It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Now there were twelve sons of Jacob— 23 the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun; 24 the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin; 25 and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali; 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

27 Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.

28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, an old man of ripe age; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. Genesis 35:16-29.

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“Then they journeyed … Then they journeyed …” Verses 16 and 21. Today’s relatively short Scripture contains some of the journeys of Israel (Jacob). There was the encouragement by Rachel’s midwife, the birth of Benjamin, the death of Rachel, the immoral action of Reuben (with its sexual and defiant elements), and the death of Isaac. At first thought, it may seem like a random mix of events from different sources: some sad, some joyful, some surprising, some ordinary and expected, some righteous, and some wicked.

But then, we remember Jacob’s confession of faith earlier in the chapter: “God … has been with me wherever I have gone.” Genesis 35:3.

And thus, we gain insight and faith that though our life’s journeys may seem to be filled with a mix of events from different sources, there is one sovereign God in control of everything.

We also think of other Scripture as cross-references and gain encouragement from them.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.

“Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:4.

“… “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” Hebrews 13:5.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 35:9-15. The next devotion, God willing, will be next Tuesday, September 17, 2012; I am going on a long weekend vacation to Michigan.

“9 Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. 10 God said to him,

“Your name is Jacob;

You shall no longer be called Jacob,

But Israel shall be your name.”

Thus He called him Israel. 11 God also said to him,

“I am God Almighty;

Be fruitful and multiply;

A nation and a company of nations shall come from you,

And kings shall come forth from you.

12 “The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,

I will give it to you,

And I will give the land to your descendants after you.”

13 Then God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. 14 Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel.

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We tend to want to be blessed by God to get things or to be delivered from troubles. Those can be good prayer requests, and we see those type of prayers throughout Scripture. But, I just loved the much better reason why the Psalmist wanted to be blessed in the following Psalm Chapter 67.

“1 God be gracious to us and bless us,

And cause His face to shine upon us— Selah.

2 That Your way may be known on the earth,

Your salvation among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise You, O God;

Let all the peoples praise You.

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy;

For You will judge the peoples with uprightness

And guide the nations on the earth. Selah.

5 Let the peoples praise You, O God;

Let all the peoples praise You.

6 The earth has yielded its produce;

God, our God, blesses us.

7 God blesses us,

That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.” Psalm Chapter 67.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 35:1-8.

“Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments; 3 and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem.

5 As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7 He built an altar there, and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth.” Genesis 35:1-8.

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Despite the fact that the sons of Jacob acted so unjustly in their deception and killing every male of the city of Hamor and Shechem in revenge for the rape of their sister Dinah, and despite the fact that Jacob had good reason to fear the repercussion, God delivered Jacob and his household. (See Genesis Chapter 34 for the actions of the sons of Jacob.)

Despite the fact that Jacob acted so unjustly in his deception and in his stealing the blessing away from Esau, and despite the fact that Jacob had good reason to fear the repercussion, God delivered Jacob. (See Genesis Chapter 27 for the actions of Jacob.)

Jacob’s actions and his son’s actions remind us of “Total Depravity”. God’s actions remind us of “Unconditional Election”.

“Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” Romans 9:13-14.

Today’s Scripture also remind us of what happened at Bethel. Let us look at God’s promises to Jacob at Bethel.

“He (Jacob) had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:12-15.

These promises of God are unconditional. God did not say to Jacob: “If you do not deceive and act justly, then I will bless you.” God promised: “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

And, Jacob realized it in today’s Scripture. Jacob said: “and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” Verse 3.

Oh saints, how do we want to live our lives? Do we want to trust ourselves and our alleged free-will, our alleged goodness, and our alleged wisdom and strength? Or, do we want to cling to the unconditional promises of God?

“for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis Chapter 34. It is rather lengthy, but it is very interesting and tough to determine which verses (and facts therein) could be omitted, so I quote it all.

I will quote the following verses.

“1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land. 2 When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force. 3 He was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young girl for a wife.” 5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; but his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob kept silent until they came in. 6 Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 Now the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him in marriage. 9 Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 Thus you shall live with us, and the land shall be open before you; live and trade in it and acquire property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “If I find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say to me. 12 Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage.”

13 But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor with deceit, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we consent to you: if you will become like us, in that every male of you be circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.”

18 Now their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. 19 The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are friendly with us; therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage, and give our daughters to them. 22 Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will live with us.” 24 All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

25 Now it came about on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came upon the city unawares, and killed every male. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went forth. 27 Jacob’s sons came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and that which was in the city and that which was in the field; 29 and they captured and looted all their wealth and all their little ones and their wives, even all that was in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will gather together against me and attack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister as a harlot?” Genesis 34:1-31.

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Today’s Scripture teaches us the importance of proportionate punishment to the severity of the crime in justice. Jacob’s sons acted unjustly in their deception and killing every male of the city of Hamor and Shechem in revenge for the rape of their sister Dinah.

Certainly, the crime of rape is a very serious crime, but it is unjust to use the ultimate punishment of death on all the male inhabitants of the city.

For example, we read God’s law in Deuteronomy 22:25-28.

“25 “But if in the field the man finds the girl who is engaged, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die. 26 But you shall do nothing to the girl; there is no sin in the girl worthy of death, for just as a man rises against his neighbor and murders him, so is this case. 27 When he found her in the field, the engaged girl cried out, but there was no one to save her.

28 “If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall become his wife because he has violated her; he cannot divorce her all his days.” Deuteronomy 22:25-28.

The Biblical saying:  “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” is not an excuse to wreak havoc.  It is a principle of proportionate punishment and comes from the following Scripture.  To make it clear, if someone chips your tooth, you can’t maim him or kill him.  “‘If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death.  The one who takes the life of an animal shall make it good, life for life.  If a man injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him:  fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth;  just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him.  Thus the one who kills an animal shall make it good, but the one who kills a man shall be put to death.  There shall be one standard for you;  it shall be for the stranger as well as the native, for I am the Lord your God.’”  Leviticus 24:17-22.

Proportionate punishment is an element of justice, and we can’t ignore proportionate punishment and still claim that we are just. And yet, how often do Christians feel comfortable ignoring proportionate punishment to “be tough on crime”!

Justice is important to God. Justice is the foundation of His sovereign rule.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You.” Psalm 89:14.

“Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” Psalm 97:2.

Justice is important to us too. The Lord requires us to do justice.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis Chapter 33 which covers Jacob’s meeting with his brother Esau. As we remember, Jacob was fearful of meeting Esau. Here is a link to the chapter – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+33&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 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.” Genesis 33:4-5.

“And he (Esau) said, “What do you mean by all this company which I have met?” And he (Jacob) said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” Jacob said, “No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty.” Thus he urged him and he took it.” Genesis 33:8-11.

“Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. He bought the piece of land where he had pitched his tent from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.” Genesis 33:18-20.

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Today’s Scripture presents a lesson on detecting and acknowledging God’s grace. An important element of faith is being aware of God’s blessing on our lives. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6.

Jacob was aware of God’s blessing on his life. Jacob detected and acknowledged God’s grace. We see at least four examples of it in today’s Scripture.

First, Jacob detected and acknowledged that his children were graciously given to him by God. “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Verse 5.

Second, Jacob detected and acknowledged that his property was given to him by God. “God has dealt graciously with me and … I have plenty.” Verse 11.

Third, Jacob detected and acknowledged that the favor that he had with Esau was given to him by God: “for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably.” Verse 10.

Fourth, Jacob remembered when he wrestled and the blessing that he received from God, part of which was receiving the name of “Israel”. Genesis 32:24-32. “Then he erected there an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel (which means ‘God, the God of Israel’).” Verse 20.

“Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer Nor His lovingkindness from me.” Psalm 66:20.

“Many are the sorrows of the wicked,

But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones;

And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.” Psalm 32:10-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 32:24-32.

“24 Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. 30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” 31 Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. 32 Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s thigh in the sinew of the hip.” Genesis 32:24-32.

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Jacob sought a blessing. “Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Verse 26.

Jacob strived until he got that blessing. “He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” Verse 28.

We can learn from Jacob’s focus, passion, and endurance.

“Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11 and Psalm 105:4.

“Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” Luke 13:24.

Such focus, passion, and endurance is worth it.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:45-56.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 32:1-22 which covers Jacob’s fear of Esau and the anticipated meeting and Jacob’s prayer to God for deliverance. Here is a link to the chapter – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+32&version=NASB

I will quote the following verses.

“The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and furthermore he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and the herds and the camels, into two companies; for he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.”

Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. 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. For You said, ‘I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered.’”

So he spent the night there. Then he selected from what he had with him a present for his brother Esau:” Genesis 32:6-13.

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What strikes me about Jacob’s prayer is how Jacob treasured the promises of God and based his request of deliverance on them.

As Reformed believers, our faith and salvation are based on the promises of God summarized in “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. These promises are “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistable Grace”, and “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”. And yet, too often, we neglect these glorious promises.

We should treasure these precious and magnificent promises of God and base our prayer requests on them.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 2 Peter 1:2-4.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 31:22-55 which covers Laban’s pursuit of Jacob. Laban was upset that Jacob deceived Laban and fled away taking his daughters, his grandchildren, and his gods. Here is a link to the chapter – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+31&version=NASB

I quote just about all of it in four paragraphs:

“When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, then he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead. God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, “Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.”  Genesis 31:22-24.

Laban caught up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsmen camped in the hill country of Gilead. Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done by deceiving me and carrying away my daughters like captives of the sword? Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with timbrel and with lyre; and did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Now you have done foolishly. It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to speak either good or bad to Jacob.’ Now you have indeed gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house; but why did you steal my gods?” Genesis 31:25-30.

“Then Jacob became angry and contended with Laban; and Jacob said to Laban, “What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have hotly pursued me? Though you have felt through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsmen and your kinsmen, that they may decide between us two. These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flocks. That which was torn of beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself. You required it of my hand whether stolen by day or stolen by night. Thus I was: by day the heat consumed me and the frost 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 changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.” Genesis 31:36-42.

“Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? So now come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.” Then Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. Now Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore it was named Galeed, and Mizpah, for he said, “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other. If you mistreat my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.” Laban said to Jacob, “Behold this heap and behold the pillar which I have set between you and me. This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. The God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us.” So Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his kinsmen to the meal; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain. Early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place.” Genesis 31:43-55.

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Today’s Scripture shows us that God protects us in different ways.

God controls the hearts of our potential adversaries. Here, God directly spoke to Laban in a dream. But, whether it be by direct words or by the more subtle memory of Scripture or by even more subtle life’s experiences that God gives to our potential adversaries, God controls the hearts of all.  “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Proverbs 21:1.

God sometimes allows the parties to fully state their case against each other, and thus “blow off their built-up steam” . Here, we see both Laban and Jacob fully state their case against each other, face to face. “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.” Matthew 5:23-25.

God provides connections between the parties. Here, Jacob’s wives were Laban’s daughters, and Jacob’s children were Laban’s grandchildren. “Then Laban replied to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? So now come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.” Verses 43 and 44.

Between Christians, God is at work, knitting our hearts together in love and providing other encouragement to both parties. “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:1-3.

The covenant in today’s Scripture is “May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other.” God not only takes care of both parties while they are “absent one from another”, God takes care of both parties while they are together.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 31:1-21 which covers Jacob’s evaluation of his situation with Laban, God’s words to him, and Jacob’s decision to leave Laban with his family and all of his property to return to Canaan, the land of his fathers and relatives.

Here is a link to the chapter – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+31&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this wealth.” Jacob saw the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” Genesis 31:1-3.

“I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’” Genesis 31:13.

“And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing. So he fled with all that he had; and he arose and crossed the Euphrates River, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.” Genesis 31:20-21.

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Jacob remembered what happened at Bethel.  The memory helped Jacob trust God and gave him hope and courage to leave Laban to return to the land promised to him and his decisions.

Here is what happened at Bethel.

“He (Jacob) had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” Genesis 28:12-22.

We should also remember what God has said to us and done for us.

“Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. …”  Exodus 13:3.

“you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:”  Deuteronomy 7:18.

“Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,”  1 Chronicles 16:12.

“Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,”  1 Chronicles 16:15.

“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before You.”  Psalm 22:27

“I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.”  Psalm 77:11.

“Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth,”  Psalm 105:5

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands.”  Psalm 143:5.

We should do things that will help us remember. There are many things that we can do.

We can diligently read God’s word.

We can attend worship services to hear songs proclaim God’s wonderful deeds and to hear God’s word preached.

We can partake of communion, a powerful God-ordained means of grace and memory.

We can write down what God has said to us and done for us.

We can preach and teach and simply tell others what God has said to us and done for us.

We can put up pictures in our home with key verses.

We can even set up a pillar of stones as Jacob did or build something temporary or permanent as a reminder.

We can go back and visit places where God has done extraordinary things for us.

We can talk to our elders to ask them what God has done for them as a way to help us remember similar things that God has done for us.

There are other things we can do.

But, even when we do not remember on our own, there is hope!  God is gracious and helps us remember, like He did with Jacob:  “I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me.”

“He has made His wonders to be remembered;  The Lord is gracious and compassionate.”  Psalm 111:4.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 30:25-43.

“25 Now it came about when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my own country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me depart; for you yourself know my service which I have rendered you.” 27 But Laban said to him, “If now it pleases you, stay with me; I have divined that the Lord has blessed me on your account.” 28 He continued, “Name me your wages, and I will give it.” 29 But he said to him, “You yourself know how I have served you and how your cattle have fared with me. 30 For you had little before I came and it has increased to a multitude, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now, when shall I provide for my own household also?” 31 So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will again pasture and keep your flock: 32 let me pass through your entire flock today, removing from there every speckled and spotted sheep and every black one among the lambs and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages. 33 So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come concerning my wages. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, will be considered stolen.” 34 Laban said, “Good, let it be according to your word.” 35 So he removed on that day the striped and spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, every one with white in it, and all the black ones among the sheep, and gave them into the care of his sons. 36 And he put a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.

37 Then Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees, and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white which was in the rods. 38 He set the rods which he had peeled in front of the flocks in the gutters, even in the watering troughs, where the flocks came to drink; and they mated when they came to drink. 39 So the flocks mated by the rods, and the flocks brought forth striped, speckled, and spotted. 40 Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own herds apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. 41 Moreover, whenever the stronger of the flock were mating, Jacob would place the rods in the sight of the flock in the gutters, so that they might mate by the rods; 42 but when the flock was feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 So the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks and female and male servants and camels and donkeys.” Genesis 30:25-43.

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Wisdom is a gift of God. Wisdom is a blessing. “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5.

And, we can see and appreciate the wisdom that Jacob showed in today’s Scripture. Hopefully, that wisdom (and the prosperity which wisdom brought to Jacob) will motivate us to seek wisdom, to ask for wisdom from God with faith, and to learn and understand principles of wisdom taught in Scripture.

First, we see the wisdom of Jacob in his answer to Laban in verses 29 and 30, and then after Laban’s persistence, Jacob showed wisdom again in verses 31 through 33. Jacob could have just abruptly said: “No.” to Laban. But, Jacob was wise in giving a soft, soothing, and reasonable answer to Laban.

“1 A gentle answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable,
But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
Watching the evil and the good.
4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life,
But perversion in it crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:1-4.

Second, we see Jacob’s wisdom in his ability to understand the science of mating and to increase productivity and his wealth.

The Book of Proverbs is full of wisdom and the benefits of wisdom. Here are examples.

“A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,” Proverbs 1:5.

“6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice
And equity and every good course.” Proverbs 2:6-9.

“13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.
14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels;
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.” Proverbs 3:13-16.

“19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth,
By understanding He established the heavens.
20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up
And the skies drip with dew.
21 My son, let them not vanish from your sight;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 So they will be life to your soul
And adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will walk in your way securely
And your foot will not stumble.” Proverbs 3:19-23.

“12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And I find knowledge and discretion.
13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way
And the perverted mouth, I hate.
14 “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, power is mine.
15 “By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 “By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.” Proverbs 8:12-16.

“4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.” Proverbs 10:4-5.

“Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
But a fool displays folly.” Proverbs 13:16.

“He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20.

“3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back,
But the lips of the wise will protect them.
4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean,
But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox.” Proverbs 14:3-4.

“He who is slow to anger has great understanding,
But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.” Proverbs 14:29.

“A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.” Proverbs 14:6.

“The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts wisely,
But his anger is toward him who acts shamefully.” Proverbs 14:35.

“The heart of the wise instructs his mouth                                                                                                                                         And adds persuasiveness to his lips.” Proverbs 16:23.

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1.

“A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding draws it out.” Proverbs 20:5.

“Prepare plans by consultation,
And make war by wise guidance.” Proverbs 20:18.

“There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man swallows it up.'” Proverbs 21:20.

“3 By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
4 And by knowledge the rooms are filled                                                                                                                                           With all precious and pleasant riches.” Proverbs 24:3-4.

“Prepare your work outside
And make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterwards, then, build your house.” Proverbs 24:27.

“He who tills his land will have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.” Proverbs 28:19.