Oh, What They Did!

Genesis 33:3 - Then he [Jacob] crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Oh, the forgiveness and grace of our Lord. Oh, the humility.

Jacob and his brother Esau were at odds with each other as young men. Jacob fled for fear of losing his life to his brother's hand, even though Jacob had initially deceived Esau. But now many years later, after Jacob had been deceived (what goes around comes around?) by his father in law, God told him it was time to go back home, to his land and his brother; He would deal well with him when he did. 

So, despite trepidation and some precautions, Jacob did return. Despite God's words, His promise that all would be well, Jacob had some fear of the unknown. And when the time came he bowed in total humility before his brother. And his brother was no longer angry.

Isaac, the brothers' father, had unknowingly blessed Jacob, the second son with the inheritance Esau should have had as the first son. Part of that blessing was that Jacob's brother Esau would be a servant to him. So, in this case of deception, older would serve younger. 

I think about Jesus and how He came, the King of kings and Lord of lords, to serve us through His humiliation, mocking and death on the cross...for those who would call on His name to be saved. He came not to be served but to serve. This is our Lord. Once we have gotten to that place of understanding Him as our Lord and bowing before Him, then it is our duty to serve Him and let His story be told. When we bow in total humility before Him, His forgiveness envelopes us. 

It's all about Him, serving and obeying and trusting in Him. We can do nothing in this life on our own, but in Him we can do all things. Later in Genesis we will see how God uses Jacob, whose name by now has been changed by God to Israel. Israel...God's land and His people. 

Matthew 20:26-28 - Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.