The Feed Mill

Today’s Bible Reading: Genesis 31-33

Today’s Devotional: Genesis 31:3

In the account when Jacob initially goes to Laban if we recall from Genesis 27. Jacob initially fled to Laban because of fear from his brother Esau, at the instruction of His mother then with a different blessing from his father.

Genesis 31:3 We see that Jacob is to flee from Laban. This departure now we see that it was at the instruction of the Lord.

This is always a good basis when to make changes in our lives, when the Lord instructs us to, because the Lord is aware of every situation where you are at, where He desires for you, and even far off future things.

Jacob was at the point in his life when he desired to return to his family.

God gave Jacob 1 calling and 1 promise.

• Return to the land of your family
• And, I will be with you

There are several accounts in scripture of returning. The Bible it self is one giant volume of the account of something being returned and by what means that happens. Below are a few accounts of the Lord calling His children back to Him.

• Joel 2:13 – So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
• Zechariah 1:3 – Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.
• Lamentations 3:40 – Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD.
• Revelation 2 & 3 to the 7 churches in Asia Minor

Many things may have happened over 20 years. However wrong doing of the past can not disappear. Jacob starts home in fear, and irregardless of his fear the calling of God in His life was supreme, he went obediently.

God’s heart in returning is always restoration. What we see shortly after Joseph’s departure from Laban is an encounter between Jacob and Laban which did not end with restoration but instead with distrust.

Later when Jacob and Esau meet, it again is left with distrust quite possibly from Jacob towards Esau, for his life.

God’s desire in restoring relationships is not for distrust, but trust, trusting that because God has returned you or me to a point in order to restore a relationship then it’s God who has gone before us and is with us. So we need to trust Him and dwell where He has called us. Not live estranged because of distrust which God wishes to restore. And the consequences only end up affecting and hurting those we love as with Jacob’s children. We only end up dwelling away from God’s presence and desire for our lives in Bethel, as Jacob did. Even though he was comfortable at a distance from God’s will, as was Jacob, it was his family and those he loved and who loved him who suffered, as did Jacob’s walk with God and the community around him.

If there are relationships from last year or previous years that have led to distrust and offense, seek the Lord and pray for those relationships. Pray that the Lord will restore the relationships and that the Lord will go before you and be in the midst of these relationships from that point forward. Always place Jesus in the midst of our relationships and we can never go wrong. Our God is a restoring God and I pray that this next year will be one of the Lord restoring relationships that you may have thought to be lost and that you will go forward with His eternal focus in mind in all of your relationship.

May the Lord Bless you and keep you;The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26