Genesis 31:39 I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night.
Commentary points out Jacob’s comment about “the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac…, ” and that’s got me thinking about my own faith journey. Growing up, my God was the God of my parents, who laid my faith foundation as I did for my own children. But there is no one specific moment where their God became my God. It’s more like drops of water filling a bucket. At some point, the bucket overflows, but to isolate that one drop that caused the overflow is nearly impossible.
Genesis 31:40 This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
My faith journey has been similar, as has yours, I’m sure. Drop by drop, we claim Him as our own, we learn that we can trust Him, we see that He is with us in the valleys as well as on the mountaintops, we become certain that He is with us, not because of what we’ve seen from others but because He has shown up for us, stood with us, carried us again and again and again.
Genesis 31:41 It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.
Precious Savior, Thank You that the faith of those who came before me influenced my relationship with You. Thank You that drop by drop, moment by moment, You became my God. Thank You that I know You are with me in the good times and the bad–You strengthen me, You carry me, You love me fiercely. Always. Thank You. Amen.
Genesis 31:42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.”
Have a blessed day.