Don't Fret

Read:   Psalm 37:1-7

The Bible is full of intriguing stories, stories of the impossible, stories of doubt and faith, stories of fear and bravery, stories of hardship and rescue, stories of evil and divine intervention, stories of faithless people and a faithful God.   Ultimately, through all these true stories, God shows up in unexpected ways.  Through these stories He is revealing His Divine plan, like a scarlet thread weaved throughout history.

One such story is the story of Jacob. 

You may know the story of how Jacob, through deception, received the blessing of the first-born, instead of his twin brother Esau. 

You may know about how Jacob fled for fear of his brother Esau. 

You may know about how Jacob fell in love with his Uncle Laban’s daughter, Rachel. 

How Jacob promised to work for Laban for 7 years so he could marry Rachel. 

How Laban tricked Jacob, and Jacob woke up on the morning after his wedding to find he had married Rachel’s older sister, Leah.

How Jacob promised to work for Laban another 7 years for the hand of Rachel in marriage.

How Leah born many sons to Jacob, 10 to be exact.

How Rachel was jealous of her sister because she was not having children.  How God finally blessed her with a child, Joseph. 

Jacob now has 2 wives and 11 sons, and he is faithfully serving as head shepherd of Laban’s flocks.  He wants nothing more than to take his family and make a life of their own. So, he asks Laban to release he and his family from service.  Laban, however, realizes that God has blessed him immensely because of Jacob’s faithful service and his shepherding business was thriving beyond his wildest dreams.  He selfishly did not want to let Jacob go. 

So, Jacob and Laban struck a deal.  Jacob would be allowed to go and take with him all the spotted and streaked sheep from the flock.  Laban, treacherously, quickly separates out all the steaked and spotted animals from his flocks and sends them 3 days journey away with his sons. 

Jacob keeps to his promise.  He continues to faithfully fulfil his duty to Laban, tending the flocks.  In his breeding practices, he has a vision in his mind of his heart’s desire.  He wants enough spotted and streaked animals to sustain his family when they set off into a life of their own.  So, he puts spotted and streaked branches in front of all the places the flock would gather. In a sense, he puts his heart’s vision before the eyes of the flock. With full integrity and without deception and treachery, the flock miraculously begins to produce more and more spotted and streaked offspring.  The strong animals were streaked and spotted sheep, and the weak ones were solid colored. And Jacob became exceedingly prosperous, owning a large flock, many servants, as well as camels and donkeys.  

These days, with all the bad news around us, isn’t it easy to throw up our hands and think, “What is this world coming to?  Our world is falling apart!  Evil is winning!’ 

Yet, God calls us to be faithful, to carry out our seemly insignificant roles, and know that He will use our lives for His Divine purposes.  Against all odds, God wants us to focus on what He has placed upon our hearts to do, live into that vision (even when it doesn’t make sense), and trust that He will bless us more abundantly than we could ever ask or imagine.

“Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.”