Esau Forgives Jacob


For the season of Lent I'll be sharing devotions from Grace Lutheran's devotional book: "Forgiven." 

While these devotions are not my words and may not represent my own faith or theological understanding, they are valuable personal faith perspectives of 40 of Grace's members and I am so grateful for their generosity in sharing them.

Part Four: Granting Forgiveness & Renewing or Releasing the Relationship

Genesis 33:1-11  (Esau forgives Jacob)

Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.
But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and finally Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor with my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Jacob said, “No, please; if I find favor with you, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God—since you have received me with such favor. Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I want.” So he urged him, and he took it.

Sometimes you go into a situation prepared for resistance but the other person has already forgiven you.  Jacob was prepared to defend his loved ones against Esau and his men.  It wasn't a necessary step as Esau was coming to Jacob prepared to forgive him.  Esau didn't believe he deserved the gifts presented to him by Jacob but because he insisted Esau accepted.  Esau then let the way for their travel.

Prayer:
Dear God, Let us forgive those who have done us wrong.  Help guide us to not always assume the worse in people.  Allow us to forgive and present forgiveness to those whom we lost our trust in.  Help us work to renew our relationship with our peers, family & friends daily for the health of all relationships in our lives. 
 AMEN

~ Becki and James

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