Genesis 31: Man plans, God laughs

Well today's message kind of involves chapter 30 too, but I left it for today for purposes that will soon become clear!

In Genesis 30, Laban tries to ruin Jacob by taking all the speckled flocks (the ones whose offspring is vowed to Jacob, and putting 'a three-day journey between himself and Jacob' (Gen 30:36)

Now, in Genesis 31 we see God's reply to Laban's plan when Jacob tells Rachel "God has not allowed him to harm me...God has taken away your father's livestock and has given them to me' Gen 31:8/9

What a lovely verse that shows us how we don't have to worry about things, just do what we know is right to do, and do it with excellence. God will provide for us as he did for Jacob, and of course Laban's plans all came to nothing in the end: take your eyes off of your problems and put them onto God.

Later on in the chapter, God spoke to Laban in a dream, confirming that it was indeed He who had provided in this way with the speckled flocks. Again this amazes me how God is willing to get involved in the run of the mill, everyday parts of our lives: awesome.


After these verses Jacob and Rachel flee from Laban, but Rachel steals his idol, and he comes looking for it. He searches everywhere, but she is sat on it and says to him:

Genesis 31:35 Rachel said to her father "don't be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I'm having my period" Gen 31:35

Now I'll tell you what I love about this: God did not reveal Rachel's sin. She was in the wrong, and did something very silly and very ungodly, but he was gracious and merciful towards her, knowing she could well be killed if she was found out. This points to something I have been thinking a lot of lately: God is a God of justice, but I am also beginning to believe that does not mean he will bring out the worst consequences for everything we do wrong. We sin every day, and often (I believe as long as our heart is right) he will not only forgive us, but protect us from the worst case consequences of what we've done wrong. I can't say that with 100% confidence yet, but watch this space because it's one of the things I am searching the scriptures for.