Week of Monday January 12 – January 18
Delivering Decisions – Man as Instructor
"Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, “Jacob,” and I said, “Here I am!” And he said, “Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father's house? Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.” - Genesis 31:11-16
Have you ever been faced with a life-altering decision? Especially as a husband, a father, and the leader of your home? A decision that impacted everyone involved? How did you come to that decision and how did you describe and deliver it to your family? What we read here in Genesis 31 provides us with a model for our role as Instructors in our home. God’s word provides practical wisdom for not only how to make that big decision but also how to communicate it to those whom we love and lead.
As Genesis 31 opens, we find Jacob not only fed up with the injustice he had endured for 20 years at the hands of Uncle Laban, but he also received some fresh back-channel intel and then made a clear-eyed assessment that his tenuous relationship with Laban had further soured. His heart was open for a solution, and God provided it in verse 3, “Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” Consequently, Jacob gathered his wives and told them about what God said, the decision to leave, and the reasons why. Now this is no small matter. This is a huge life-altering decision to pick up and move. When you look at what Jacob does here as the husband and leader of his family, it is a model for us.
What especially impressed me is the way Jacob provided a providential perspective of their circumstances that led to this big decision. He takes them back and rehearses how God has been involved at every point in their lives:
First, Jacob acknowledges God's Presence. He met his wives privately and told them in v 5: “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me.” Second, he a affirms God's Protection. In verses 6-7, he contrasts how Laban treated him with how God protected him: “You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me.” Third, Jacob asserts God’s Provision. Despite Laban’s unjust treatment, in verse 9, Jacob saw God’s justice in how God graciously provided, “Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.” Then fourth, he announces God’s Prompting. The Lord gave Jacob his marching orders through a dream in verses 11-13, “Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’" Genesis 31:11-13 ESV
Taking on the role of Instructor, Jacob presents a providential perspective of this big life-altering decision to leave their home and strike out for Canaan. He walks his wives and family through it step by step, acknowledging God all along the way: God has been present with me, He has protected me, He has provided for us, and now He is prompting us to leave for Canaan, and specifically to Bethel, the place where he first encountered God. What also impressed me is how both his wives respond. Obviously, both women had been born and raised there. Life in Laban's house was all they had known. Yet even the wives came together as one in agreement with Jacob's God-centered presentation of this decision and conclude in verse 16: “Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.” Men, I pray that we will learn from this biblical model for how to lead our families through a major decision as God is guiding us.
Delivering Decisions – Man as Instructor
"Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, “Jacob,” and I said, “Here I am!” And he said, “Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’” Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father's house? Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has indeed devoured our money. All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children. Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.” - Genesis 31:11-16
Have you ever been faced with a life-altering decision? Especially as a husband, a father, and the leader of your home? A decision that impacted everyone involved? How did you come to that decision and how did you describe and deliver it to your family? What we read here in Genesis 31 provides us with a model for our role as Instructors in our home. God’s word provides practical wisdom for not only how to make that big decision but also how to communicate it to those whom we love and lead.
As Genesis 31 opens, we find Jacob not only fed up with the injustice he had endured for 20 years at the hands of Uncle Laban, but he also received some fresh back-channel intel and then made a clear-eyed assessment that his tenuous relationship with Laban had further soured. His heart was open for a solution, and God provided it in verse 3, “Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.” Consequently, Jacob gathered his wives and told them about what God said, the decision to leave, and the reasons why. Now this is no small matter. This is a huge life-altering decision to pick up and move. When you look at what Jacob does here as the husband and leader of his family, it is a model for us.
What especially impressed me is the way Jacob provided a providential perspective of their circumstances that led to this big decision. He takes them back and rehearses how God has been involved at every point in their lives:
First, Jacob acknowledges God's Presence. He met his wives privately and told them in v 5: “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me.” Second, he a affirms God's Protection. In verses 6-7, he contrasts how Laban treated him with how God protected him: “You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me.” Third, Jacob asserts God’s Provision. Despite Laban’s unjust treatment, in verse 9, Jacob saw God’s justice in how God graciously provided, “Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me.” Then fourth, he announces God’s Prompting. The Lord gave Jacob his marching orders through a dream in verses 11-13, “Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob,’ and I said, ‘Here I am!’ And he said, ‘Lift up your eyes and see, all the goats that mate with the flock are striped, spotted, and mottled, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred.’" Genesis 31:11-13 ESV
Taking on the role of Instructor, Jacob presents a providential perspective of this big life-altering decision to leave their home and strike out for Canaan. He walks his wives and family through it step by step, acknowledging God all along the way: God has been present with me, He has protected me, He has provided for us, and now He is prompting us to leave for Canaan, and specifically to Bethel, the place where he first encountered God. What also impressed me is how both his wives respond. Obviously, both women had been born and raised there. Life in Laban's house was all they had known. Yet even the wives came together as one in agreement with Jacob's God-centered presentation of this decision and conclude in verse 16: “Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.” Men, I pray that we will learn from this biblical model for how to lead our families through a major decision as God is guiding us.
- When you must make a major decision, do you ask for God to give you His wisdom and direction in making that decision? Can you think of a time when you did that or a time that you didn’t? What was the result?
- When God impressed you with a particular direction to lead your loved ones, how did you communicate it? Was God a part of the conversation? Think of ways you can give a providential perspective on your decision-making.
- Ask God to lead and guide you as the leader of your home and for the words to communicate how He is prompting you to come to your decisions.