ON THE VANGUARD

PREPARING TO MEET ESAU
“The messengers returned to Jacob saying, ‘We went to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you; with him are four hundred men.’”
Genesis 32:7

As Jacob prepared to meet his brother, Esau, once again, fear crept over him. It was at their last engagement that Esau had been tricked out of his firstborn privileges when Jacob posed as his brother in order to receive the blessing. In fear of his brother’s statement that he would have revenge, Jacob had fled. Now unsure if the years had been long enough to overcome the anger, Jacob proceeded with caution.
Sending out his messengers toward the land of Se’ir, the country of Edom, Jacob gave directions to his men of what to say so that favor may be gained. His men however, returned a different message than what Jacob had desired to hear. They replied, “We went to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you; with him are four hundred men.” Right away panic overcame Jacob. Four hundred men were on their way. What would happen to the women and children, the animals, and him? He divided all his possessions into two camps, thinking that if one was attacked the other would be safe. Then, maybe in an effort to calm himself down, Jacob prayed. In his prayer he reminded God of the promise made to his grandfather, Abraham, that carried on through his father, Isaac, and that now rested on him. God had promised through him a great nation, so he pleaded with God for a rescue.
It is here that I am challenged in my own way of life. I, like Jacob, have been told by God of some of the blessings that He has for me. I, like Jacob, have worked to remind God of these blessings when they seemed to not be working out. And I, like Jacob, have allowed panic before prayer. So then, here is the question. Why do I, or we, not make prayer first priority? Why do we allow ourselves to go through the panic and worry and make our own plans instead of running straight to God? We treat Him as a backup plan when instead we should see Him as the first response.
Maybe today we should work to change this. Maybe today when we see our bleak situation, instead of allowing panic to run over us we can decide to go to God first. This thought seems to fit with not only this situation but all situations. Matthew 6:33 reminds us to seek God first. In making Him first we leave no room for panic and worry to reside. In seeking Him first we live and remain in His arms of safety.