Don't React to a New Day w/ Yesterday's mess!

"Emotions move--inward or outward--whether we want them to or not."- Lysa Terkeust 

Then Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother, Esau, who was living in the region of Seir in the land of Edom. He told them, “Give this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban, and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to me.’” After delivering the message, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, “We met your brother, Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you—with an army of 400 men!” Jacob was terrified at the news. He divided his household, along with the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups. He thought, “If Esau meets one group and attacks it, perhaps the other group can escape.” (Gen 32:3-8)

Then Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his 400 men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and his two servant wives. He put the servant wives and their children at the front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him. Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.- (Gen 33:1-4)

Have you every reacted out of an assumptions? Reacted to a current situation based on something that happened in the past? Have you ever had a knee-jerk reaction to a situation?  

Oh, I have!!!

I have allowed my mind, more than on one occasion, to go to what I call “the crazy place” and make all kinds of assumptions about how something is going to play out, or how this person is going to react, or what he or she must be thinking. I don't take my thoughts captive as I know I should I allow them to run a muck, and my emotions normally follow. 

Anybody else?

Well, God stunned me last week while listening to a message by Beth Moore. But is wasn’t anything she said, it was the passages she read from. Even before I pressed play to listen I prayed God would give me a Word. I was desperate that night. But it wasn't until afterward the message was over that I felt the Holy Spirit say, “read the rest of the story.” So I did. And, I was STUNNED!!! 

But, we are going to have to back up a little bit and I hope it will thrill you as much as it did me to see it all tie together so beautifully. But we have to do some digging first. We have to press rewind real quick to understand why in the world Jacob was terrified of Esau. Why did he think he wanted to kill him?

Take a look with me back in (Gen 25:19-34) we are introduced to Isaac and Rebekah’s sons, Esau and Jacob. Twins.  Take the time to go and read the entire story, but basically Esau was the oldest, but he gave over his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. But, Jacob didn’t stop there. 

(Gen 27:1-45) Take the time and go the whole story, but basically Jacob tricked his father Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing. But I do want you to read these verses (Vs. 30-45) to have a good context to understand why Jacob was terrified to see Esau.

“As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and almost before Jacob had left his father, Esau returned from his hunt.  Esau prepared a delicious meal and brought it to his father. Then he said, “Sit up, my father, and eat my wild game so you can give me your blessing.” But Isaac asked him, “Who are you?” Esau replied, “It’s your son, your firstborn son, Esau.” Isaac began to tremble uncontrollably and said, “Then who just served me wild game? I have already eaten it, and I blessed him just before you came. And yes, that blessing must stand!” When Esau heard his father’s words, he let out a loud and bitter cry. “Oh my father, what about me? Bless me, too!” he begged. But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has taken away your blessing.” Esau exclaimed, “No wonder his name is Jacob, for now he has cheated me twice. First he took my rights as the firstborn, and now he has stolen my blessing. Oh, haven’t you saved even one blessing for me?” Isaac said to Esau, “I have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants. I have guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine—what is left for me to give you, my son?” Esau pleaded, “But do you have only one blessing? Oh my father, bless me, too!” Then Esau broke down and wept. Finally, his father, Isaac, said to him,  “You will live away from the richness of the earth, and away from the dew of the heaven above. You will live by your sword,
and you will serve your brother.
But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck.” From that time on, Esau hated Jacob because their father had given Jacob the blessing. And Esau began to scheme: “I will soon be mourning my father’s death. Then I will kill my brother, Jacob.” But Rebekah heard about Esau’s plans. So she sent for Jacob and told him, “Listen, Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you.  So listen carefully, my son. Get ready and flee to my brother, Laban, in Haran. Stay there with him until your brother cools off.  When he calms down and forgets what you have done to him, I will send for you to come back. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

Jacob was caught red handed!

My heart just breaks for Esau. There he was trying to do something nice for his dying father, make his favorite meal and his own mother and brother are plotting against him. He comes back to find out his blessing has been stolen. I would cry too! Jacob took something that wasn’t his to take…and worst off…his own mother helped. And you thought your family had issues?

Esau was not just hurt, he was mad and vengeful. Jacob had taken not just one thing that was his, but now two things that were rightfully his. A couple key things I want you to notice. The Scriptures tell us, “from that day on Esau HATED Jacob…” because of what Jacob had done.

How unsettling that Esau would comfort himself by plotting to kill Jacob? But, Rebekah then tells Jacob to flee until Esau cools off. I can’t help but think, she got Jacob into this mess in the first place! This could have all been avoid Rebekah…just saying!!!

Anywho, Jacob does flee. In the process of fleeing he meets Rachel. Ends up having the trick done to him by His uncle, when he thinks he is working 7 years to marry Rachel, but Laban tricks him and he ends up marrying Leah. Then Jacob has to work another 7 years to get Rachel.  Enter the classic catfight between Leah and Rachel (another blog for another day) just saying that girls competing…is as old as time! Issues with in-laws/ cousin Laban. Oh, Jacob!

Then in (Gen 31:4) The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you.” To that is the journey we find Jacob on in (Gen 32:1) he is continuing on his journey to return home.

 “When Jacob sent messengers ahead to his brother, Esau, who was living in the region of Seir in the land of Edom. He told them,“ Give this message to my master Esau: ‘Humble greetings from your servant Jacob. Until now I have been living with Uncle Laban, 5 and now I own cattle, donkeys, flocks of sheep and goats, and many servants, both men and women. I have sent these messengers to inform my lord of my coming, hoping that you will be friendly to me.’” After delivering the message, the messengers returned to Jacob and reported, “We met your brother, Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you—with an army of 400 men!” Jacob was terrified at the news…” (Gen 32:3-7)

What did Jacob do? Jacob’s was still thinking about something he did 20 YEARS AGO!!! Jacob made an assumption of why Esau’s was bringing 400 men with him and he based his reaction on the past! (vs.9-13 & 33:3) Jacob knew what he had done, and he was still reacting as if Esau was out to kill him all these years later.

How often to we just react out of fear, insecurity, pure assumptions…etc?

We did all that digging and back tracking to get to this ONE sentence that was a revelation to me, personally!

Esau didn’t want to kill him, he wanted to embrace him (33:4) Esau had MOVED ON or “cooled down,” and it was time for Jacob to do the same!

Esau LOVED him! Can you imagine Jacob’s shock! Here he was all prepared to defend himself, hoping maybe all these gifts will somehow BUY his brother’s kindness and friendship. Instead of having to defend himself, he was embraced!

Don’t we get all worked up over NOTHING half the time! I do! We create threats in our own heads. We create problems that are not even there! Please don’t leave me alone in this! I hope I am not the only one!!

I guess the biggest thing I took from that story, was to move on and stop reacting to a new day with yesterdays’ mess. Yesterday can be (a year ago, two years ago, three years ago or 20 years ago). But, learning to not react our out fear, but allow God to heal and mend relationships and not assume that everyone else is still hung up on what you're still hung up on.

Esau had moved on, and it was time for Jacob to do the same.

It’s a new day!