Psalms 119:50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
The twin brothers Esau and Jacob were not only unlike twins but they also had very different personalities and interests. Esau was a skilful hunter but Jacob was a skilled chef. With his scrummy stew he deceived his brother Esau of the birthright and he also stole the blessings deceitfully with a delicious meal. Esau was angry, bitter and furious to a point where he was waiting to kill Jacob once his father died.
So, Jacob had to flee to an unknown land and to stay with relatives he had never met. His parents sent him to Paddan Aram to the house of his mother’s brother Laban. When Jacob was running for his life, God met him and gave him a promise. Genesis 28:15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have. It was this promise that preserved Jacob’s life, found favour among his unknown relatives, and brought Jacob back to the promised land of his father. It was the Word of God that brought reconciliation with his astringent, agitated and angry brother Esau.
The promises of God is the prescription that preserves our life. When we are drooping in the dark around suspicions, snares and schemes, His word is our shield and shelter.
The prescription for the uncertainty, insecurity and ambiguity is in God’s Word:
1. Preserve: Psalms 119:93 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. Jacob’s sibling was waiting to hurt and harm him before he fled. Jacob expected a war with the hunter Esau when he returned after two decades. Jacob sent gifts ahead of him to the brother from whom he had stolen the birthright and the blessings. The same God who mellowed the greedy heart of Jacob to a generous giver softened the furious heart of Esau and preserved the life of Jacob.
2. Point: Jacob did not have a farewell when he left home to venture into the unknown nor did he have a farewell when he left his father in law’s house. However, the same God who met him on his onward journey, met him again on his return journey and reiterated the promise. The promise that Jacob received pointed to the direction of his trajectory. We must never settle down to get complacent and comfortable in the transit, until we reach the target. The word of God guided Jacob back to the promised land. Never settle for anything less than what God had promised. It is the promise of God that will point us to destiny.
3. Poise: Before Jacob crossed the brook over to meet his brother, he poised to receive a fresh promise. Genesis 32:26b Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” . The posture of bent knee, lifted hands and surrendered heart is the poise of breakthrough. Jacob was struggling with guilt, fear and stress. When anxiety, culpability and dread was drowning him, he took the posture of prayer and the prescription of his promises.
The Lord changed the name of the deceiver Jacob to Israel (triumphant with God). Winning the favour of God gave him confidence to win the favour of men. God’s word heals relationships.
Have you taken your prescription medicine today?
Proverbs 16:7 When the LORD takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
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