Promise 79 Gen. 32:30

Gen. 32:30 - "So Jacob named the place Peniel for he said, 'I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.'" Jacob had a rumble with God. I'm not exactly all that sure why that happened, why that specific timing; just as He was going to meet his brother. Maybe God wanted to knock some sense into Jacob's head. God had promised him over and over again that he would prosper, his descendants would be many and that God would be with him, yet he was still terrified that his brother would kill him and his family. Maybe God just wanted to thump him for being so silly. Or maybe, by dislocating his hip, God wanted to take away any possible strength and pride that goes along with it, to show that when Jacob is saved, its not by his own doing but all will be done by God and there wont be any doubt about it. God did meet Jacob face to face, and Jacob survived. We can meet Him face to face too, in all our weaknesses and guilt and shame and feelings of unworthiness and fear, and we will survive too. God invites us to meet Him face to face, and maybe we do need a thumpin' every now and then so that sins in our lives are broken and we yield to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But we will survive. We will not be the same. We might even have a new name, a new identity after it. So go to Him, meet Him!

Promise 78 Gen. 32:1

Gen. 32:1 - "Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him." This is such a random verse. Its at the beginning of chapter 32 and in a clear transition of thought; Jacob begins to head home. In most literature this would demand a build up or more expansion, but the Bible doesn't do that. Angels met Jacob, Jacob said, "Hey God showed up!" (Di's version) and that was it. I just love that about God. He just "shows up" out of the blue. He just randomly puts His angels around us. It's kind of like when you're walking with a good mate and there is a long pause in conversation, because you really don't "need" to be talking, then he/she just taps you or gently slaps you or throws something your way without saying anything, and you keep going on as before. That's what this is, its just a friendly tap from the loving Daddy to say "hey, I love being with you!" I don't think angels always have to be on intense guard duty, I think they like to go walking and camping too.

Promise 77 Gen. 31:49

Gen. 31:49 - "And Mizpah, for he said, 'May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other." As a missionary, being separated from family and beloved friends is a normal part of life. But that separation, even though its always there, doesn't mean its easy. I praise God for modern communication technology that allows me to call family and friends from my computer. I think of those missionaries who had to go to their fields by boat and wouldn't see their families or have verbal contact for four years at a time (Even though that still happens today not due to distance but because of the 'out of sight, out of mind mentality'). Its difficult to wonder all the time how those friends and family are, especially when we hear someone has been sick or injured, we could drive ourselves crazy with worry, but we don't have to. God's promise to us is that He will watch over our loved ones and give us peace in the midst of separation. We must do our bit in trusting them to His care. Thank you Lord for watching over my family and friends who scattered all over the globe. Bless them right where they are at, amen!

Promise 76 Gen. 31:24

Gen. 31:24 - "God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, 'Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad.'" Even though Laban did not act in righteous ways toward Jacob, he was still from the family of Abraham. God gave him a gentle warning to not do or say anything dumb to Jacob. Laban listened and it all turned out well. Even though we deserve harsh punishment or warnings from God sometimes, He is not one who will act harshly toward His children, like a loving Father does, He gently warns us to keep our thoughts and actions in check, this is how He guides us and grows us up into sanctification. Thank you Father!

Promise 75 Gen. 31:2-3

Gen. 31:2-3 - "Jacob saw the attitude of Laban, and behold, it was not friendly toward him as formerly. Then the Lord said to Jacob, 'Return to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you'." God is right on top of things when we are about to head into a difficult situation. 1st, He gives us discernment of other people's character, then He confirms it. In this case He tells Jacob to go back home to his own land and promises to be with him. God takes care of his own. Thank you Lord!

Promise 74 Gen. 30:22-23

"Then God remembered Rachel and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and bore a son and said, 'God has taken away my reproach.'" The whole story of Rachel and Leah's competition to win or keep Jacob's affection is a crazy one. Leah didn't end her campaign for Jacob with the birth of Judah, she gave her maid to him after Rachel gave hers to Jacob, then she bore a couple more kids. Not once in this story did it mention any of the women or Jacob going to God first and petitioning their concerns to Him, Rachel even blamed Jacob for not coming through for her. It's no wonder it took a while for God to remember Rachel and give her a child, they didn't pursue Him so that they would be on the foremost of His mind. But here is the blessing; No matter how many times we mess up and try to find solutions to our problems on our own, we aren't forgotten by God. Even if we don't immediately go to Him that doesn't mean He will withhold His blessings from us. Because there is nothing we can do to win His love or take it away, He gives it freely. But don't wait for Him to have to "remember" you, go to Him first.

Promise 73 Gen. 29:35

Gen. 29:35 - "And she conceived again and bore a son and said, 'This time I will praise the Lord.' therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing." Up until Judah's birth Leah had hoped that the child she bore will cause Jacob to love her. When Judah was born she just said, "This time, I will praise the Lord." She realized that God didn't give her children just so her husband would love her, but it was out of His love for her that He blessed her with children. So this time she thanked Him properly by praising Him. It is interesting too that it is from the line of Judah that Jesus comes. He comes from the line of praise to God, that is so cool. With every breath that we have, praise the Lord!