Genesis 33:4 “Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.”

SWEET REUNION

 Twenty years have gone by.  Jacob was still afraid his twin brother, Esau, would kill him at first sight.  Read the whole story.  He sends gifts of flocks of sheep, cows, camels, donkeys, etc. to appease him – hopefully.  He had no idea how his brother would receive him.

But…God had directed Jacob to return, and God prepared Esau’s heart (I believe) to receive his brother back.  Time does have a way of healing all wounds.  But I truly believe God worked in this situation.  They meet and embrace.  In fact, it says ESAU ran to him.  Don’t you know Jacob was looking for him to pull out a sword or dagger at the last minute.  But instead he hugs and kisses him.

TEACHING MOMENT

There will come a time when your children leave your home.  Perhaps they already have gone off to camp for a week or two.  When they arrive home, what do you do?  You hug and kiss them.  But when they leave for weeks or months and return, boy, the reunion will be sweet.

The next time you have such a reunion with your child, share this passage.  But don’t just dwell on the hugs and kisses.  Point out the forgiveness that was present.  How much more does our Lord forgive us when we return to Him?

To whom do you need to go today to forgive?  Whom have you avoided or neglected because of past hurts?  It is time to embrace them and forgive them.  It is time to let all be forgiven.

Father of forgiveness, give me the desire to forgive.  Sometimes that is hard, but through You I can do all things.  Help me to teach others the blessing of forgiveness.

 Genesis 31:34a “Now Rachel had taken the household idols and put them in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them.”

MORE DECEIT

 Don’t you bet Jacob had told Rachel about how he had deceived his brother, Esau?  You know she knew the stories.  So why wouldn’t she deceive Laban by stealing his gods?  She stole them and hid them.  Those gods were NOT found when Laban searched for them, which means they traveled with Rachel all the way.

Now don’t forget this – people don’t steal gods just to keep them hidden.  She obviously was worshipping them. She had even hidden them from Jacob.  He had no idea they were there, at least not then.  I wonder if he ever found out.

TEACHING MOMENT

Have you ever found something your child has hidden from you?  Perhaps they stole it from a store or from someone else.  Anyway, you don’t recognize it and have no idea where it came from.  What do you do?  Do you just ignore it?  Of course not.  You confront your child about it.  Why?  Because these kind of habits have to be dealt with quickly or they become hard to stop.

Are you teaching your little Mikey or Clementine about truth and honesty? Do they know the importance of respecting others’ property?  Do you?  Are you giving them a prime example to follow?  Hidden things can become hidden “gods.”  They will drain all your energy trying to keep them concealed.  They will rob you of your integrity.  Put a halt to it.

Father, I know that truth is always the best practice.  Sometimes, though, it is so hard.  Help me point my children to always be upfront and honest about ALL THINGS.

 Genesis 27:24 “And he said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ And he said, ‘I am.’”

DECEITFUL WORDS

Man, what a liar!  Lying to his own daddy!  And not just lying, but stealing too.  He stole his brother’s blessing. And to top it all off, his mother was in on it.  We talk about dysfunctional families today, but this one takes the cake.

Jacob was the one God chose to use to birth the twelve tribes of Israel.  There was nothing worthy in him.  God just chose him.  Jacob didn’t deserve to be used by God, but He did anyway.  What a lesson for us today and for our children.

TEACHING MOMENT

 Some parents give up on their kids when they make mistakes.  Some write them off.  God never does.  The next time your child lies to you, read them this story.  Explain how lying is bad and should never be a part of the believer’s life.  But God can forgive that, just like any other sin.

Explain to your children that God has a plan for their lives.  They probably have NO idea what that is now.  I bet Jacob never thought he would be the father of Israel, that his name would be changed to Israel, that he would end up in Egypt and that one of his sons would literally rescue the family.  You just never know how God can use a liar.  Lol

What are you running from?  Are you like Jacob, running from an angry brother you have deceived?  Whom have you dishonored?  Go to the Lord.  Let Him forgive you of your transgressions.  Let Him point you in the right direction.  Let Him show you the way.

Father of all nations, forgive me.  Let me see Your will rather than my own.  Give me the wisdom to guide those whom you have placed under my leadership.

 Genesis 25:26a “Afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob;”

GRABBER

What a name!  Grabber!  How would you like that name?  It’s no wonder the two boys didn’t get along too well.  Every time Jacob’s name was called he was reminded of the birth story.  “Don’t you remember, Esau, how your brother was holding on to your foot when you were born?”  I bet that story got old.

But God has a plan for everything He does and allows.  God chose Jacob to be the line through which the nation of Israel would be birthed and eventually through which the Messiah would come.  God makes no mistakes.  We may think we have it all figured out, but we will see, in the end, that He knows best.

TEACHING MOMENT

Do your children “grab” for stuff?  Do they always seem to want what the other child has?  I’ve seen it a lot.  If you put two two-year-olds in the same room with a dozen toys, it won’t take long until they are fighting over the same toy.  “Mine, mine, mine!”  We “grab” the stuff we think we have to have.

Teaching our children contentment is hard work.  The world is working against us all the time.  But when they learn to receive with gratitude and accept what they have, they will have learned a great life lesson.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with ambition and achievement.  It just shouldn’t come against the rights of others.

What are you “grabbing” for?  Do you eye what somebody else has and desire it?  Let the Lord be your desire.  Let Him show you what you need.  After all, He desires the best for you.

My God and Savior, I know You want the best for me.  But sometimes it is just hard to wait as others all around me seem to have all they desire.  Help me to rest in You and teach others to do the same.

 Genesis 23:2 “Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.”

IT’S OKAY TO CRY

Why do we men think we can’t cry?  Me?  I cry at commercials.  Remember the Folger’s coffee commercial when the young man comes home to surprise his family?  He sneaks in and makes a pot of coffee.  When his mom comes down and sees him, I am balling.  Lol.  It’s okay to shed tears.  There are times when it is so needed.

Abraham had just lost his wife.  She died at 127 years old.  They had been married a long time.  Did his tears mean he didn’t trust God anymore?  Of course not.  He was a man missing his wife.  He was faced with burying her in a foreign land among strangers.  He was hurting.  He was grieving.  He was crying.

TEACHING MOMENT

Do me a favor.  When your little Elrod or Gertrude is crying over something, don’t tell them to stop crying.  I know, I know.  Kids cry over nothing.  But when we tell them to “dry those tears” it can send the wrong message.  They may think they can’t cry about anything.

Take a moment and share this verse with them.  Explain how even grownups cry sometimes.  Even Jesus cried when a friend died.  Tears can be a healing thing too.  It can make them feel better if not “overdone.”  Hey, you can even cry with them.  What a great lesson.

Are you too hard-hearted to cry?  Or are you like me, a crybaby?  Let the tears flow.  Let them heal your heart.  Don’t be afraid to grieve or shed that tear.  The Lord will soothe your heart.

O Lord, don’t let me believe the lies of the world.  I don’t have to “get tough” and “dry the tears.”  Let me feel the freedom to cry when I need to.  I know You will dry every tear one day.

 Genesis 20:12 “‘Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife;’”

JUSTIFICATION

 Isn’t it amazing how we can justify our lies?  We have a really good reason to lie, don’t we?  We even see Abraham, whom God declared righteous just 5 chapters earlier, lie about his wife, Sarah.  He was afraid for his life.  God had just told him in the previous chapters that He was going to give him a son and make him a great nation.  Why couldn’t he trust Him to protect him against a pagan king?  So, he tells a lie to save his hide.

Before we jump to judgment, we are just as bad.  We say we trust God to save us and take us to heaven, but we don’t trust Him with our power bill.  We believe He sent His son to die for us, but we don’t believe He can rescue us from a pagan boss.  Wow!  We will justify our actions and even lie to protect ourselves.

 TEACHING MOMENT

Children are prone to lie.  It’s just part of their sin nature.  You don’t have to teach them to lie. “Johnny, did you break that lamp?”  “No mom” as he hides a piece of it behind his back. “Susie, did you eat that cookie?” “No way” as she wipes the crumbs from her mouth.  But do you teach them to lie?

Have you ever told them when someone calls you don’t want to speak to, “Tell them I just can’t talk right now.”  Lie!  Or they hear you tell the sales clerk that the item YOU broke came that way.  Lie!  Just know they are watching you.   They are filing away those “lies” and will remember them when they need to justify their own lies.

Just tell the truth.  Just show them and the Lord that truth is what you want to live by.  The Word is called truth.  Use it to guide you.

God of Truth, remind me each time I am tempted to tell a little, white lie that I am still lying.  A half-truth is a whole lie.  Let me be very aware of the lessons I am teaching my children.

 Genesis 16:9 “Then the angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.’”

 SHE SAW THE LORD

 I truly believe each and every time “the angel of the Lord” appears in the Old Testament it is our Lord Jesus.  Why?  Because after His incarnation (coming in the flesh to earth) there is never another mention of Him.  I may be wrong, and there is no definitive way to prove it, but I believe it.

Just think, if I’m right!  Jesus appeared to Hagar, the mother of the Arab world.  That’s who Ishmael became.  Just think!  If Hagar and Ishmael would have continued to follow Jehovah God and relied on the words of Jesus when He appeared to her here, how the world might be different.

TEACHING MOMENT

Oh, but the same is true for us.  If we will just stop and listen to the Lord, our world could be so much different.  Our children have to be taught how to stop and listen.  All those times you grab the chubby little cheeks of your little one and say, “Listen to what I am saying” are teaching moments.  They need to learn to listen to those in authority.

If Hagar had been a submissive servant to Sarah (Sarai here), perhaps Ishmael would have been submissive also.  If your children learn to be submissive to your leadership, they will be better employees.  They will be better listeners.  They will be better followers of Christ.

Are you listening to those in authority over you?  Are you seeking to serve them?  Are you allowing your fleshly desires to get the better of you?  Your children are watching.  Other believers are watching.  We ALL need to be more submissive, especially me.

Lord, show me my faults of non-submission. Point out my arrogance and stubbornness.  Let me lead my children to be submissive servants to whomever they have in authority over them.

 Genesis 15:6 “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” 

 I BELIEVE

 If you haven’t read the whole story of Abraham (Abram at this point) lately, you really need to.  It is quite an interesting story of God’s faithfulness and man’s faith.  I mean, just look at this verse.  Abram believed God, and God declared him righteous.  For something he had done?  No!  Because he believed Him.

God promised Abram a son, one which he wouldn’t see for many years.  It seemed impossible. Abram didn’t understand how God would do it.  He just believed He would do it.  Simple faith.  God said it, so that settles it.

TEACHING MOMENT

What a great lesson for our kids.  Mom and Dad, we need to show our kids how to trust.  They learn this by watching us.  If all they ever hear and see is us fretting and worrying, how will they learn to trust.  We take them to prayer with us and give it over to the Lord.  We let Him take our burdens and trust He will see us through.

It is a joy to pray with our children over things that they are concerned about.  Let me encourage you to get them a prayer journal.  When they pray for something write down the date and the request.  When God answers, and He will, mark down how He answered and the date.  This will be a treasure one day to read.

Are you trusting today?  Are you believing as Abram did?  He will declare you righteous also as you believe on the name of Jesus and trust Him with your life.  The Lord will work great things in your life as you trust Him to work.

O Lord, trusting is hard sometimes.  I want to see immediate results.  Help me rest in You and allow You to work in Your perfect time.  Let me be the example of faith for my children.

 Genesis 8:18 “So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him.” 

QUITE A BOAT RIDE

Can you even begin to imagine how happy Noah and his family were to get off that boat?  Depending on which source you use, Noah and his family were on the ark between 360 and 381 days.  They were on the ark for a year!!!  Talk about having sea legs – whew!

The interesting thing about the ark, though, is that Noah did not control where it went.  He relied on the Lord to guide that boat to its final resting place.  He had no idea where they would wind up.  No rudder, no sail, no outboard motor – nothing!  Just the wind and the waves to determine where they would disembark and begin their new life.

TEACHING MOMENT

Think of all the trips you have taken with your kids.  Have any lasted a year?  I doubt it.  The next time you are on the road and your kids ask the question, “Are we there yet?”, tell them this story.  Just as they trust you to get them to the destination, Noah trusted the Lord.  Our children need to learn to trust the Lord’s guiding hand as He directs their path.

Explain to Gertrude or Elrod that they, just like Noah, must stay in the boat to get there safely.  Noah could have gotten sick and tired of those animals and jumped overboard.  But he was only safe as long as he stayed put.  Encourage your kids to stay put with God.

How about you?  Are you too busy rowing your own boat to realize God has a better one for you?  Let Him guide you to the perfect destination He has planned for you.  You may not like the journey sometimes, but you can rest in His plan.

O God, it is so hard to not grab the rudder and steer my own ship.  Help me to let go and let You guide me.  Let me teach my children to trust Your direction in their lives as they watch me doing the same.

 Genesis 4:9 “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ And he said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’”

WHERE’S YOUR BROTHER?

I grew up with an older brother.  Boy, did we have some fights.  I guess most of that is normal.  After all, it’s been going on since creation, right?  But do you know why?  Because of the fall of man.  If sin had not entered the world, Cain and Abel would have been fine.

It all came down to greed and jealousy.  Cain’s offering “of” his fruits was not received by the Lord while Abel’s offering from the “firstlings of his flock” was.  Cain obviously did not give God the first fruits.  Man, that sounds like my fights with my brother.  Most of them were over greed or jealously.  Nothing much has changed.

TEACHING MOMENT

If your kids don’t fight, count your blessings.  But it’s pretty safe to say that at some point they have disagreements.  This passage about Cain and Abel is the perfect story to read to them.  Now make sure you point out that the way Cain solved the problem was NOT the correct way.  We don’t want little Johnny or Susie taking a rock to their sibling’s head, do we?

Explain to them that their fighting is part of the old sin nature.  As believers, that old nature has been defeated by the blood of Christ.  They need to know that it has no more power over them, if they have given their life to Christ.  There is no need to yield to the temptation.

But how about your greed or jealousy or strife?  Do you still battle those hot-headed emotions?  We all do, unless we are surrendered to His Will and His Way. Show your children how to die to self and allow the love of Christ to be your guide.

Lord of Peace, let it reign through me.  Give me the peace that passes all understanding.  Let me be at peace with my brothers and sisters today.