Daily Devotions
Genesis
"I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place." Psalm 118:5
Text: Genesis 33:1-20
RECONCILED AT LAST
Esau must have been deeply moved as he saw his brother limping towards him. He was limping and bowing himself as he walked slowly towards him! Was this Jacob? How his heart yearned after his brother! Years of love hidden in his heart, because of the blood tie between the brothers welled up within him.
“But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him,
And fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.”
GENESIS 33:4No need for words
What do two brothers who hadn’t seen each other for 2 decades say to each other when they finally meet? This was not a time for words! Words would seem trite at this moment. When was the last time Esau and Jacob gave each other a loving brotherly hug? It was probably too long ago to remember! This was a time for embracing, not words!
“And fell on his neck and kissed him…”
It was Esau who initiated this response. Jacob must have been overwhelmed by this response! Was this truly Esau? Why had he not seen this part of him all these years? But of course Esau was capable of deep affection! Had their father not chosen him as his favourite son?
Embraces, tears, kisses… those were the things to do! Words seemed almost out of place! There would be plenty of time for words later on! Twenty years and more had lapsed. Both had grown well. Both had matured much. There was no room for petty jealousy. No more anger in Esau’s heart. No more fear in Jacob’s soul! The joy of being reconciled to his brother was the highlight of two decades of life!
“And they wept”
Tears flowed freely that day! What kind of tears were shed that day? There must have been tears of regret for having nursed such strong ill-feelings! There must have been tears for wasted years!
But tears were now being shed out of sheer joy that full reconciliation was effected! In place of anger and bitterness, there flowed a new sense of well-being and love that brothers ought to have with each other! It had taken these many years of separation before wisdom prevailed! The love that must have been tucked away in the deepest recesses of the heart bloomed beautifully that day!
Tears of relief and gratitude must have flowed from Jacob’s eyes particularly. The Lord God had not failed him in any way! Surely this reconciliation must be from the Lord! Just as Jacob had anticipated the worst, so Esau had come well-prepared should his younger brother showed any signs of treachery. Surely, it was the Lord who had melted away the anger and hatred from Esau’s heart! If only they had learned to love each other in this manner! If only they had known God more personally! Fresh tears must have gushed out again and again, till there were no more tears to shed!