Repayments

Read Genesis 32:13–18

Reflection

Have you ever been in a situation where you have damaged something expensive? You might remember a time where you got into trouble for ruining a piece of furniture or putting a hole in the wall. You might have been involved in minor car mishaps – bumping the car in front or misjudging your surroundings when backing out. You might have gone into financial debt over some foolish decisions. Some damage we do is far worse and involves other people’s emotions. When we damage things, there is an expectation to fix the damage, repay the damage or be punished for it.

Jacob had taken Esau’s entire inheritance, and he would have correctly assumed that Esau would want to get back what he had lost. He had to think of a way to repay him to earn back some favor or, at least, to make sure his brother didn’t kill him. What Jacob had earned over the years from his work with their uncle was likely a very good repayment or, at least, a good start, but he also needed to accompany this with a change of heart. Notice that he calls himself a servant to his "lord", Esau. This is a very different attitude towards the same brother he had competed with, and cheated, to win.

Whether intentional or not, our wrongs put us in some form of debt, and they lead to consequences. But we can’t carry all of that on our own. That’s why Jesus came to save us – to take our debt to the Cross and pay it Himself. The ultimate sin of Humanity’s sin, death, has been reversed. Jesus conquered that and brought us Forgiveness and Life. Instead of struggling to make things right in our own strength, we can rely on the Grace and Power of Jesus to help right our wrongs.

Consider and Pray

What wrongs are you trying to make right in your own strength? Pray for God’s Grace to release you from your own efforts, and let the Power of His Forgiveness and New Life work through you.