Genesis 32:13-21 Trust in God!

13Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau: 14200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 1530 milk camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys. 16He entrusted them to his servants in separate herds and told them, “Go on ahead of me, and keep some distance between the herds.”

17He instructed the one in the lead, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, where are you going, and whose animals are these before you?’ 18then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.’”

19He also instructed the second, the third, and all those following behind the herds: “When you meet Esau, you are to say the same thing to him. 20You are also to say, ‘Look, your servant Jacob is right behind us.’” For he thought, “I will appease Esaub with the gift that is going before me. After that I can face him, and perhaps he will accept me. ”

21So Jacob’s gifts went on before him, while he spent the night in the camp.

“What care he takes about the whole affair! We cannot blame him, under the circumstances, yet how much grander is the quiet, noble demeanour of Abraham, who trusts in God, and leaves matters more in his hands!” (Spurgeon)

It’s interesting that after Jacob prayed he took matters into his own hands again. Perhaps he thought he could purchase Esau’s anger when he threatened to kill him? Perhaps he was sending the message I didn’t come to take anything from my brother.

Perhaps it truly was just a gift.

But why didn’t he trust in the Lord instead of hiding in the back of the procession?

Elijah also lost trust in the Lord and ran for his life!

1 Kings 19:3And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4while he himself traveled on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Don’t hide like Jacob or run like Elijah, instead place your trust in God!

Blessings, David