By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Genesis 32:6-7 “When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well.”_ – NIV Jacob had fled from his brother Esau who wanted to kill him for taking his birthright. He had been with Laban, his uncle, for twenty years. God instructed him to return home. Knowing the bitter anger Esau had against him, he sought to alert and assess Esau’s reaction by sending messengers to find out. The feedback was hard hitting: Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. That sent chills to Jacob. He was in extreme fear and distress. He turned to God in prayer, and divided up his possessions with a gift for Esau.After breakthrough prayer with God, he eventually met with Esau. What was supposed to be a fight, turned out to be a reunion of love. It was unbelievable for Jacob. He said seeing Esau face to face was like seeing God. This happens in life. There are things we greatly fear and are troubled about. We wonder how we can face them. We try all possible human solutions. But when we commit them to God, He works behind the scenes, takes care of our fears and gives victory. Let’s learn to commit the things beyond our abilities, our fears, distress and uncertainties to God. The natural human tendency is to take matters in our hands. In attempt to find solutions, sometimes we mess up the more. Life will always have these perplexing situations. But God remains a present helper in such times. He has already taken care of it without our knowledge as He did for distressed Israelites by the Red sea. May we learn to be still and know that He is God even in those times when everything seems to fall apart. There is no hopeless situation with God!_Exodus 14:13-14 “Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”_Shalom children of God.