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Jacob and Rachel finally have a child and now Jacob is ready to take his family back to Canaan. Yet when he speaks of leaving his deceptive father-in-law is not ready to part with Jacob due to Jacob’s success with Laban’s flocks. Laban is not ready to let his fountain of fortune fade off into the desert, so he strikes a deal with Jacob for 7 more years of service wherein he will pay Jacob with the blemished goats and sheep of his flock.
The blemished of the flock were thought to be the weaker and less producing of a flock and so when Laban agrees to give them to Jacob, he is greedily giving his worst to his son-in-law, despite all the monetary gain Jacob has brought to him.
Yet God is greater than our circumstances. As we will see next week, God had his hand even in this for 31:6-13 tell us that God prospered Jacob’s portion of the flock, regardless of the number of times that Laban changed the conditions of their agreement. God had promised Jacob that he would make him a great nation, which God was doing with Jacob’s numerous sons. Part of that promise required that there be financial resources. God was handling that too. Laban appeared to be the stronger power and have the greater influence, yet God chose to bless Jacob no matter Laban’s attempt to power grab.
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God is bigger than our circumstances. Sometimes it is next to impossible to see God’s hand in our lives through the circumstances that present themselves on a day to day basis, yet God is greater and more powerful than even the worst of circumstances. It was not because of Jacob having great faith or being a great man that Jacob was blessed, for we’ve already seen in past posts that Jacob has manipulated as much as he could. Yet in spite of it all, God has blessed Jacob through his surrender to God. God made a promise and He kept it, no matter the circumstances, because that is who God is.
What circumstances in your life are preventing you from seeing God’s hand of provision? What is God currently doing in your life despite the circumstance? How has God worked in your life despite you to bring His promise of hope and peace in Him to fruition? Take some time to thank God today for what He has done and is doing. Bring the circumstances you currently struggle with to Him for He is greater than all things and able to do abundantly more than we can imagine.
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Text By: Kristen Davis
Photo from:
https://pacwp.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/10172604
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