Mar 12

Genesis 30:25 - 31:13
Memorise 2 Corinthians 9:8
“And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle…”

By now, Laban recognised that the presence of Jacob had brought great material blessings upon his household. Jacob was a diligent, faithful worker, and Laban himself acknowledged: “I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake” (Genesis 30:27). He wanted Jacob to continue to stay to work for him. However Jacob yearned to return home. He had served the 14 stipulated years for both Leah and Rachel, and having a large family in tow, he felt that now was the appropriate time to go back to his father’s land, the land of promise.

Yet Laban encouraged him to stay. He asked Jacob to set a wage and claimed that he would now pay him for his labour. Jacob’s response was a seemingly strange one. He told Laban to remove all the speckled, spotted and brown cattle from amongst the flocks. Then, the animals that are born out of this pure flock that were speckled, spotted and brown would be his wage. This was an agreement that Laban readily agreed to, for it seemed greatly to his advantage. As greedy as he was, he thought that this arrangement would mean that Jacob would continue to work for him for as little as possible.

In making this agreement, Jacob was acknowledging the divine presence of the Lord with him. By faith, he trusted that the Lord would provide for him. True enough, God did increase his flocks. Though it seemed that it was due to some ‘tricks’ that Jacob employed, yet we know that no external agency can change the genes of animals that cause variation in the fur patterns. He might have had a hand in encouraging the stronger cattle to conceive (Genesis 30:41-42), but ultimately it was the Lord that granted him the increase. Jacob himself acknowledged this, for he told Laban’s sons that “God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me” (Genesis 31:9). The Lord himself also affirmed this as He assured Jacob that “I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee” (Genesis 31:12).

Thus after all these years, Jacob finally acknowledged that God was indeed with him, and that God had been the one to preserve, protect and provide for him. He was ready to acknowledge the Lord as his God. Dear teen, are you ready to make such a proclamation?

Thought: Must we wait until God proves himself before we believe?
Prayer: Lord, I believe, help Thou my unbelief!