Scripture to Read: Genesis 30:25-43
Genesis 30:25-43 highlights both the blessing of God and the heart of Laban. In Genesis 30:42-43, we see our LORD bless Jacob with a stronger, more substantial flock than Laban's. We must remember God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, that God will bless those who bless Abraham and his offspring, and God will curse those who curse Abraham and his offspring. When Jacob, in Genesis 30:25-26, asks Laban to allow him and his family to leave, Laban begs Jacob to stay but notice why in Genesis 30:27, "I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you." Laban's reason is not based on his relationship with Jacob but on what Laban has received and can get from Jacob. Laban doesn't want to lose the blessing. Laban's desire to have more reveals his selfishness. We even see in Genesis 30:31-36 Laban's willingness to deceive Jacob by making a deal for a flock of sheep that Laban ends up hiding from Jacob. Laban's heart, in some ways, may expose our heart. We may approach God through prayer as a way to get something from God instead of approaching prayer as a way to grow in our fellowship with God. When we come to God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, we must approach Him with humility and thankfulness. The greatest blessing we have is to be called a child of God. Because of God's promise to bless Abraham and his descendants, God blesses Jacob with a flock of sheep stronger than Laban's, showing our LORD keeps His promises and cares for those who are His people.
Challenge & Application
1. What does this passage on Laban’s interaction with Jacob teach us about how we approach God?
2. How have you approached the LORD or other people in a way you were more concerned about what you would receive than about your relationship with them?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!