Wed.’s Devo - Jacob’s Heritage -

Read: Genesis 30:1-31:16; Matthew 10:1-25; Psalm 122:1-8; Proverbs 3:13-15 Rachel was envious of Leah for having children when she couldn’t conceive. She gave Jacob her servant Bilhah who had Dan and Naphtali. Leah had stopped having children, so she gave her servant to Jacob and she had Gad and Asher. *** Leah’s son, Reuben found some mandrakes for Leah, which are aphrodisiacs. Rachel bought them from Jacob for a night with Jacob. Leah slept with Jacob that night and became pregnant with Issachar. She had a sixth son and named him Zebulun. Then Leah had a daughter named Dinah. *** God opened Rachel’s womb and she had Joseph. His name means “may he add” meaning may he add another son. God heard her prayer. *** As soon as Rachel bore Joseph, Jacob went to Laban and asked for his share of the flock for his wages. He wanted to take his family back to his home. Laban knew that he was blessed because of Jacob and didn’t want him to leave. When he asked Jacob what he wanted as his wages, Jacob told him he wanted the speckled, spotted and black sheep for his wages. Laban agreed, then went that day and removed all the ones Jacob wanted and gave them to his sons. *** Jacob was left with the solid colored cattle of Laban’s, so he did something very crafty. He stripped wood making it looked streaked and spotted and put it in front of where the cattle would mate and they produced what they beheld. They produced speckled and spotted and streaked cattle. In this way Jacob manufactured his share. *** This made Laban very mad and Jacob realized he was going to have to flee Laban’s presence. When he took his plan to his wives they agreed with Jacob. Laban had spent their inheritance and was not fair to them either. They were glad to leave him and go with Jacob. *** In Matthew, Jesus called his disciples to him and gave them authority over unclean spirits and to heal every disease and affliction. Jesus named his twelve disciples and sent them out to the Jews only. They were to proclaim the kingdom of heaven was at hand. They were to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the peers and cast out demons. They were to do all this for free. Those who took them in and blessed them would be blessed. Those who didn’t receive them would be judged in the end. *** He told them to be wise among the wolves they would meet. Some would turn them over to be sentenced but they were not to worry because God would give them what to say in defense. *** He reminded them that they called him a demon, so they will also do that to them. *** They were to do the things they saw Jesus do, but they would also suffer the things they saw Jesus suffer. *** Lord, may we meditate on the lives of those who have gone before us. Their lives were not all wonderful and full of happiness, but were also hard and full of trials. Your life was the same. May we accept the fact that life is full of trials, but we can count them as joy as we see that the result is the kingdom of heaven we are building. We are a small part of a huge structure and it is all for your glory. The great news is that you are with us and in us and you move through us to accomplish your plan.