“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise” ( Psalm 41:4).
Rebbecca, the young girl who committed to marry a stranger on first sight, would go on to birth with her beu, Isaac, twins. They named them Esau and Jacob. Mothers are generally impartial in serenading equal love to their birth children, but a strange thing happened. The ageing Isaac called his first born, Esau, and said, “Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die” ( Genesis 27:4). Rebbecca overheard and quite sneakily advised the younger Jacob to prepare a dish ahead of Esau and go for his blessing.
By the time Esau got to Isaac the deed was already done, and Jacob was away with his blessing. Esau swelled with fury. “Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob ? This is the second time he has taken advantage of me: He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!” ( vv 36). He swore enemity. “Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob” ( vv 41).
Rebbecca of course realised the mess she had created. So, she advised her favourite son to escape among her relatives. “Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Harran. Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides. When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I’ll send word for you to come back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?” ( vv 43-44)
Rebecca’s foresight would pay off. After nearly two decades away Jacob returned home. But he was scared to meet Esau. He sent men ahead of him to soothe Esau with gifts. But when the twins finally caught up all the anger had melted away with passage of years. “But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept” ( Gen 33:4).
What do we see here? Some conflicts can only be solved with time. Rebbecca was a wise mother to advise Jacob to stay clear of the wounded Esau for a time. Just as here, there could be a conflict situation you too are facing that only time will solve. Give it to God and pray, rather than take matters in your hand, and let His will prevail.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, in life there are those conflict situations which only you can solve through time and this is why I surrender any such situation to you for your deliverance, and this I pray in Jesus’s name.
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18/05/2024 - 19/05/2024 All day“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
Perhaps one of the most inspiring passages in the Bible with enduring lessons is where Moses pleads to Pharaoh to let the Jews go. Instead Pharaoh dared Moses if he had the power as that of a king. Challenged to “perform a miracle” Moses turned to Aaron who threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs (Exodus 7: 9-12).
What we see here is the presence of occult powers in high places, as is true even today. A common mistake by some is to deny the existence of the occult behind certain thrones or power centers, especially in instances where we find those putting on a genteel manner of social respectability. There are also those who through their education and confined exposure to the spirit realm of things, doubt the existence of occult powers. The reality is that in the world we live in the enemy is much at work. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
In this passage we see that while Pharaoh did release his snakes the staff God had placed in the hands of his messenger, Moses, was far greater and swallowed all. Here is the point. As believers we do have a far greater and mighty power to protect us from any attacks of the enemy. It is the blood of the lamb. As it is written, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...” (Revelation 12:11).
Today whatever snakes you may encounter from anywhere be assured that you have a far greater power than of the enemy. It is the blood of Jesus. As His word says, “call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me” (Psalm 50:15).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray for protection from the attacks of the enemy by the blood of the lamb, this I pray in Jesus’name.
