Focus

Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.

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Read

Genesis 33:1-17 (NRSV)

Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.

But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down, and finally Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor with my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Jacob said, “No, please; if I find favor with you, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God—since you have received me with such favor. Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I want.” So he urged him, and he took it.

Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go alongside you.” But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds, which are nursing, are a care to me; and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “Why should my lord be so kind to me?” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the place is called Succoth.

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Reflect

It’s said that the longest and strongest relationships are those between siblings. Understandably, not everyone has a close relationship with a sibling, due to distance or circumstance. Both my sisters live very near to me, and we are very close. It’s so nice to have someone with whom you have shared life to experience the ups and downs of adulthood. Sibling relationships are not the only long-lasting relationships, though.

We have relationships with other family members, friends, significant others, etc. There’s another relationship that’s more important than all the others. Our personal relationship with Jesus Christ should be our strongest and most important relationship. When our relationship with Jesus Christ is sound, all our other relationships are more solid and rewarding, as well.

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Pray

Thank you so much for ALL our relationships. Good or bad, we learn from them. Help us to put Jesus first so that our other connections will be even stronger. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Go with God!