God is my Witness

Genesis 31

Have you ever been around someone that just has the golden touch, everything they do turns out good. They don’t even try for good grades and it happens. They don’t even try to have a lot of friends and they do. Sometimes those people can be annoying. You can become not only jealous of them but just annoyed and don’t want to be around them anymore than you have to. Jacob was like that but instead of grades or popularity he was being blessed by the Lord with his flock. (ancient way of being wealthy). Yesterday’s chapter was showing how Jacob was wise and got the strongest of the flock. In this chapter we see how that has resulted into Laban not liking Jacob like he used to (the question is if he did at all).

Jacob was getting wealthy and Laban was not so nice to him anymore, then Jacob received Word from the Lord that it was time to go back to the land of his fathers. He was being called home.  As Jacob is talking to his wives, Leah and Rachel, he tells them about how God is calling them home. In verses 4-16 we see a little bit of how greedy Laban is. He not only changed Jacob’s wage but he was not wise with the inheritance that the family should receive. The Bible says that he spent it all because he was greedy. The funny thing is that all the wealth that Laban had he now lost and now Jacob and his family have it. Laban was jealous of Jacob.

Jacob as has not quit deceiving others verses 17-42

Jacob needed to get out of sight from Laban and his clinging hands. Jacob decided instead of standing up for himself and say, “We are leaving,” he lies and deceives Laban by just up and leave and not tell anyone. Laban got word that Jacob got up and just left town three days earlier so Laban chased after him. Laban was thinking that Jacob fled as if they were captives desiring freedom and Jacob fled because God told him to and he was afraid of Laban and what he would do. The two men finally talk about the issues and cleared everything up.

The covenant between Laban and Jacob verses 43-55

Remember what a covenant is? It is basically like a contract between two people. God made a covenant with Noah and Abraham. Here we see Laban and Jacob making one of peace but the one interesting verse that I would like to point out is verse 49. It says, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight. ” Then Laban does the fatherly thing and say if you hurt my daughters or grandchildren then God is my witness. I am sure that was enough for Jacob to take a deep breath and realize that God does see everything. Laban said goodbye to his daughters and grandchildren. Jacob was with everyone ready to go home to the place of his fathers, the place where God has promised for his children, Israel. 

God is my witness-

What a great reminder to think about, God is my witness. God sees everything you do, good or bad, he knows about everything even when other people do not. When I think about this, God sees everything, my attitude gets corrected, my thoughts need to be held captive, my heart needs to be surrendered to God. All of me because I am held accountable to God for he is my witness, even when no one is around. I challenge you to take inventory of your life and compare it to God being your witness and what would he think about what you are doing in public or private. Let me know what how this has helped or how you have been challenged.

 God Bless