5 Jacob to Israel, A life transformed

Jacob starts to ask questions of himself and his family. He starts to realise that his life is becoming more complicated between him and Laben and his brother-in-laws and so life becomes restless.

We are now in Genesis 30

There is a sense that the Spirit of God within us is always restless, the 'God Encounters' will always serve as a homing device that draws us back to God Himself, yet we seem to fail to recognise that it is God working in us to accomplish His plan for us.

Jacob had this experience whilst working for Laban. He had faithfully served Laban even though he had been cheated and mistreated, the goal posts had always been moved by Laban his employer and made worse by the fact that Laban was his father-in-law. 

• Do we feel mistreated in our work place? 
• Do we feel this need to flee. To run away and change our circumstances? 
• Do we have the desire in us that wants to return to our Heavenly Father where everything will be OK?

Jacob felt all these things and had got to the point where he felt that he had to return home, return back to his own place and country Genesis 30:25.


Jacob had fulfilled his contract, serving Laban for 14 years so that he could have Rachel as his wife, he had been cheated by Laban yet he had faithfully served him as requested. God had worked a miracle in Jacob through the 'God Encounter' that had changed his character yet God still had more to do in Jacob's life. 

God always has more work to do in our lives. He will place these aches and longings in our lives so that He can be glorified. Jacob felt trapped in a job that was not allowing him to serve Almighty God in the way that he felt he should, he also felt the need, quite honourably, to be able to provide for his family. This was his first big mistake since his 'God Encounter', as up until now God had provided, yes it may not have been what he had expected or wanted. Jacob was an ambitious man, yet God had a plan. He was providing for Jacob and was looking after him and his large family and wanted Jacob to appreciate this. Our lives and our families well being are in God's hands. We need to trust in Almighty God and His plan for us, not in our own ambitious and sometimes honourable efforts. We must not allow ourselves to be thrown off track or be derailed from what God wants to accomplish in our lives. How often do we try to make our situations fit Gods plan when in fact the homing device, the Holy Spirit within us is saying 'come home',  'trust me with all your plans',  'my plans are for your good'.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."