Divine Patience With The Anxious

“I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.” (Ge 31:13 AV)

 

At this point, Jacob is fleeing Laban.  His father-in-law has mistreated Jacob and changed his wages ten times.  It was so bad that even Rachel and Leah complained their father took everything they owned and didn’t leave any kind of inheritance.  Jacob removed himself from Laban and headed back to Isaac, his father.  Seven days out, Laban catches up with his fleeing son-in-law. The words above are God's words.  Obviously.  The LORD is reminding Jacob of the nature of their relationship.  To what the LORD is referring is the flight of Jacob from Esau his brother that found him in Laban’s care, to begin with.  Twenty-one years earlier, on the instruction of his mother Rebekkah, Jacob left home and went to Laban for safety and to find a wife.  During that trip, Jacob fell asleep and dreamed a dream wherein God promised to providentially guide and protect him.  Being the son of Isaac and upon whom the promises of Abraham would rest, the LORD reassured Jacob he would be safe in the hand of God.  Jacob has a way of reacting to adverse situations that shows a lack of faith.  His first inclination is to flee.  In that reaction, though, God still takes care of him.  It took a lifetime of experience for Jacob to realize God is greater than anything he would ever face and in the end, is recorded as a man of faith.

We owned this dog many years ago who was skittish about everything.  His name was Kimber.  Kimber was a mix between a black lab and a blue heeler.  He was black and blue all over.  LOL.  Anyway, when we got him from the pound, we had to work with him to cure him of his many phobias.  He didn’t like stairs.  He didn’t like tiled or linoleum floors.  He didn’t like anything moved to a new location.  He didn’t like loud noises.  He cowered at stern correction.  He was not comfortable with change of any kind.  He was content to live his life in his cage coming out only for food, water, and to do his business outside.  To cure him of his many phobias, we had to handle each one separately.  Chastening does not work.  What the dog needs are a patient owner that exudes confidence and shows no fear of his own.  The stairs were the first fear we tackled.  Perhaps it was the easiest of them all.  A patient and consistent force on his lead and allowing him to adjust and make a step is all it took.  About an hour into it, he was confident on the stairs.  Then came solid floors.  We trimmed the hair in between his paw pads so that his paws would not slip.  The same technique was used.  A consistent tautness on the leas without pulling him was all we need to do.  After a bit, he was walking on solid surfaced floors without thinking about it.  Then came the harder monsters to tackle.  We kept his cage door partially closed so that it would take a bit of work for him to open it and crawl in.  This gave him the option of escape but didn’t make it easy.  When his instinct was to run and hide, we would go to his cage and with a lead, lead him about in his environment to show him everything was ok.  A patient and understanding owner was all Kimber needed.

God puts up with an awful lot.  When Jacob and Laban are parted, Jacob is faced with meeting up with Esau.  The last time those two were together, Esau vowed to kill Jacob.  Jacob organized his family and sent them before him rather than taking the lead and confronting his brother to protect his family.  When he settled down, it would be a famine that would motivate Jacob to move his family to Egypt.  It took over four hundred years before God brought them out.  The point is simple.  We may have anxiety and fear.  We may not be as strong in our faith as needed.  But God does not abandon us because of our lack of faith.  He may not chasten us because of it either.  He keeps that lead taut so we are strongly encouraged to trust Him and continue in the direction He knows is for our best.  God is patient.  This is the point of reminding Jacob of the vow and promise of Bethel.  God took care of Jacob in Laban’s home and even blessed him there.  God took care of Jacob on his way to Laban.  God protected Jacob against Esau.  And God sustained Israel in Egypt.  What I see above is God’s mercy and patience with His children when His children should show more faith than they do.  What a kind and patient God we serve.