When It's Time to Move On - Expect Greater Things!

In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys. - Genesis 30:43

The Old Testament Patriarch (prior to becoming old or a patriarch) Jacob left his homeland after suffering a broken relationship with his brother Esau. Jacob, at the biding of his mother and whether right or wrong robbed Esau of the family blessing.

We next find Jacob working for his uncle Laban. This was no short-timer gig. Jacob stayed for 20 plus years.

But now it's time for him to leave Laban's hire. But (and this should give us a sense of both Jacob and ourselves - Note to self: if I have done something for 20 years and have NOTHING to show for it, I might have a problem!) he had no physical assets to show for those years under Laban.

Laban had taken advantage of his nephew in every way. As you become more familiar with the story you realize in some ways, Jacob was reaping the seed he had sown his entire life as a manipulator and controller starting with the whole stealing the blessing debacle from his brother Esau.

And in the next instance we personally find hope. For, as bad as Jacob had been, as rotten as he may have treated his brother and as lousy a conniving cheater he might have been, God's hand was on Jacob, and He had plans to prosper him.

That blows me away. Say it with me, "God is good to me when I do not deserve His goodness."

But, still, Jacob had one problem - he had no resources of his own. For Jacob to launch out on his own, he would need finances or something of value. In those days, resources often meant large flocks of animals. This was not as convenient as a bank account but still quite effective for the time. Well, as it was with Him, God gave Jacob a dream that resulted in a strategy for creating wealth by multiplying his sheep. Even though Laban sought to prevents Jacob's efforts, God overcame the evil in Laban to allow Jacob to prosper.

There are a bunch of lessons for us in this story. First, when God decides it is time to move you into a larger place of His calling, He has the ability to provide the resources you need to support the call. Find hope in this.

God gave Jacob a dream that resulted in a strategy never used before to build wealth. It was totally from God's hand. It was creative and new. Expect God to work in your mind and your mind.

Then, God called Jacob to move out after he had demonstrated his faithfulness in 25 plus years of serving his uncle. Jacob learned to live under authority and served the man faithfully, even though Jacob knew he was being taken advantage of. Your loyalty in life will inure to your benefit eventually - count on it.

What God did in Jacobs life He will do the same for you and me. However, a word of caution: Be sure the strategy operating in your heart and mind is born from above, and not from self-effort. This is where our being personally sensitive to God's voice needs exercise. It comes from listening daily and expecting to hear from Him.

The difficulty for most Christians is to learn the difference between the strategies born of God versus the strategy of self-effort. It is like anything in life we wish to master; the more time we spend with our Heavenly Father...in His word...in worship...in prayer and in meditation and listening the easier it is for His leading to be heard in our heart of hearts and understood by you and I.

Stand with me today...but...shhhh...service...learn loyalty...be a man/woman of honor...expect God to move in you and through you.

I remain...

InHISgrip,
~J~