“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.