# 301 Be Prudent, But Don’t Forget To Pray.

Day 301

Ge 32:3 Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.  4 And he commanded them, saying, "Speak thus to my lord Esau, 'Thus your servant Jacob says: "I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now.  5 "I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight."'"  6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, "We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him."  7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies.  8 And he said, "If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape."  9 Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you':

Jacob makes contact with Esau and his message to his brother  can be summed up  this way, “I am your brother Jacob, and I have done quite well for myself since I departed from home.”  I suspect Jacob was trying to gain some respect from his brother here, or maybe even a little false bravado.

At any rate all that went out the window when the messengers returned with the frightening news that Esau was on the way to meet him and he had 400 men!  Let’s face it, you don’t need to bring 400 men with you to say “howdy hoo” to your long lost brother! This is clearly a show of force and Jacob quickly forgets about his encounter with the angels of God!

He became “greatly afraid and distressed!” Let’s look a little closer at these two words in order to get the flavor of what Jacob was feeling. The word afraid here means “terrified.” It’s the same word that was used to describe the feeling of the Israelites when they were trapped at the Red Sea by Pharaoh’s great army.

The word “distressed” carries with it the idea of being pressed in, to be in ever narrowing straights.

This is what Jacob was feeling, and for a moment he did something you or I might do…..he panicked. He became fearful, and you and I ought to know by now where that spirit comes from! “God has not given us a spirit of fear!” (2 Tim 1:7)

Notice the first thing he does as a result of his fear. He uses strategies of the world to deal with it, rather than rely on God. He divides his company. His motive was well intentioned. If harm was to come, by dividing his company, it increases the odds that some may survive. That’s all well and good, but in the midst of our own threatening circumstances, let’s not forget the promises of God! Let’s not opt first for all the worldly solutions, let’s turn to God.

Jacob eventually does this as he turns to God in verse 9. He prays to God AND reminds Him of His promises to deal well with Him.

Trying times? Don’t panic, come to Jesus in prayer with His promises in your heart and on His lips! It’s okay to take prudent measures (within the will of God) but don’t wait to get praying!