4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. Genesis 33
7 When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,
He causes even his enemies to make peace/live at peace with him. Proverbs 16
Jacob met his brother Esau and there was love and forgiveness. Esau, the offended brother, kissed Jacob and wept over him. He’d put aside the stealing of his Father Isaac’s Blessing by Jacob.
33 Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 3 He himself went on ahead and BOWED DOWN TO THE GROUND SEVEN TIMES AS HE APPROACHED HIS BROTHER. Genesis 33
Jacob had wrestled all night with an unnamed man who’d dislocated his hip socket. Genesis 32:25, 31 ‘He was limping because of his hip’, yet Jacob still humbled himself and bowed seven times before his brother. Jacob left the land of Canaan twenty years earlier in his prime, a strong, determined man. Now he returned as Israel, in weakness, after God’s dealings with him. Time does heal as the saying goes, but often it’s God’s dealings in our lives that allows us to reconcile with our brothers and sisters.
There were three elements in the reconciliation of the brothers;
Time, it may take time for TRUE FORGIVENESS to be possible. Jacob HUMBLED HIMSELF greatly before his brother and in our families or the Church we may have come in humility to know true reconciliation. Jacob experienced a DEGREE OF PAIN, bowing SEVEN TIMES (Full and total humility) with a dislocated hip would have been painful. But he was willing to do it ‘to be received by Esau’.
20 So he (Prodigal Son) got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15
The picture of the Prodigal Son returning in shame to his father’s house and also being received with hugs and kisses is something we need to know about our loving God, who is always good. God loves us unconditionally because He is Love! Religion says we have to perform, do good works and conform, but that’s a lie. WE NEVER HAVE TO WAIT TO RECEIVE OUR FATHER’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS, IT’S ALWAYS WAITING FOR US.
God bless and keep you today.