Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Saturday, February 12, 2022
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Saturday, February 12, 2022
Saturday, February 12, 2022
TOPIC: RECONCILIATION
TEXT: Genesis 33:1-17
BIBLE READING:
Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2 He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. 5 Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.
Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.”
6 Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down. 7 Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.
8 Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?”
“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” he said.
9 But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”
10 “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. 11 Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.
12 Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.”
13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. 14 So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
15 Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”
“But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.”
16 So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. 17 Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Saturday, February 12, 2022
INTRODUCTION TEXT
As part of his grand plan to meet with Esau, Jacob placed the children of the maidservants and those of Leah in front, and of course, his beloved Rachel was at the back with her only son, Joseph. Crafty man! He himself approached Esau alone: He became very humble and bowed himself to the ground seven times. God intervened and touched the heart of Esau and he ran and embraced him. Esau never recounted the past; in that instant, they were blood brothers again. They reconciled. Jacob persuaded Esau to accept some gifts from him to show he had found his favour; Jacob's actions came from a guilty conscience all through the encounter.
Many families, communities, and even some members of denominations are today entangled in quarrels that have lasted for years; some from one generation to the other. Bitterness has been entrenched in many hearts as many have refused to forget or forgive. Such people still pray daily the portion of the Lord's Prayer that requests God to forgive us as we forgive those who hurt us. Let us emulate Esau and Jacob here and reconcile our differences, let go of all bitterness of the past and learn id love one another. This can only be possible if we give our lives to Christ and decide to forgive one another from the depth of our hearts as God forgives us. We must start today.
Prayer: Dear Lord, you reconciled us with the Father, may you help me to be reconciled with whoever I have anything against.