Experience not punishment

Genesis 32: 3-4

3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He instructed them: "This is what you are to say to my master Esau: 'Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. 5 I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.' "

Experience is a wonderful teacher. Most everyone is familiar with the story of Jacob. I have spoke of his rival with his brother last week, and as you know Jacob has a pretty rough go of it from the time he leaves his home until we find him now in this passage coming back home 20 years later. Coming home he now addresses the very brother he cheated as lord, and calls himself Esau’s servant.

Jacob has spent the last 20 years getting treated the exact same way he had treated his brother before he left. Some people will call that Karma, I call it the love of God. Many will say that Jacob went through the last 20 years as punishment for his dishonesty. I beg to differ. It was not punishment. It was the Lord’s way of teaching a lesson. It lasted 20 years because Jacob was hard headed, and would not lean the lesson. Jacob was a con man of sorts. HE was always looking for the angle to work. He always was trying to get the upper-hand. Time and time again the Lord put situations in Jacob’s path. All Jacob had to do was submit to the Lord, and trust in him. Yet each time Jacob took matters into his own hands and tried to force the outcome.

Finally Jacob is heading home, he finally can see through the eyes of his brother all the wrong he has done. The Lord had already predestined Jacob to receive the birth right , ye the felt like he has to make it happen. He spent 20 years under Laban who tried to trick him and short change him at every turn. Yet no matter what the ploy, Jacob was always delivered by the Lord. Now Jacob can see, it does not matter God’s plan will work itself out, he no longer has to force it. The first thing he does is try to make it right with his brother. 20 years to understand one simple point, God not man is in control.

I would like to point our here that God had a plan for Jacob, just like He has one for each of us. Yet just like Jacob so many feel the need to force it. We convince ourselves that we know what we need, and how to get it. All the while God is paitently waiting for us to learn the lesson. Often people seem to struggle with the same problems over and over again. I am reminded of a verse a friend brought to mind the other day from Hebrews chapter 12. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

The Lord will continually set things in our path, not as punishment, but as a way for us to learn. DO you find that you are always put in situations that try your patience? Do you always seem to find that one person that just grates on your nerves. Maybe you are put into situations that create huge feelings of temptation. God allows that to happen, not as punishment, but as a show of his faith in you. God allowed Job to be tormented by the devil, he knew that Job would not fail. The Lord will never give you more than you can handle. HE will not allow you to be tempted with more than you can handle. So you can walk in faith knowing that while the road might get tough it will always be bearable. Experience is a wonderful teacher, and the Lord will give us plenty of experiences!

Peace,
Rev. T