Scripture to Read: Genesis 29:13-20
Yesterday we read about Jacob’s encounter with Rachel. Then Rachel had run to tell her father Laban about Jacob. Today we pick up with Laban’s response to Rachel’s news. We read in Genesis 29:13-14, As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month. Laban’s response was one of great excitement. Later in God's Word, we will see that Laban was a deceiver and user of people. But for now, we see that Laban received Jacob into his house, and Jacob lived with Laban and his family for a month. As we read Genesis 29:15, God shows us, through Laban’s conversation with Jacob, that Jacob had served Laban with no wages. Laban finally asked Jacob, in Genesis 29:15, “What shall your wages be?" God also shows us, in Genesis 29:16-18, that Laban had two daughters, Leah (the older, described as having “weak eyes”) and Rachel (the younger, described as beautiful). Jacob wanted Rachel as his wife and would serve Laban for seven years to marry Rachel. We can only speculate, but God may have been using this to help Jacob get to a point of humbling himself and dying to his pride. God will do whatever it takes to get us on the right path with Him.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you today about how He works in our lives to keep us on the right path?
2. How are you walking in obedience to our Lord, and what has God used in your life to teach you to humble yourself daily?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!