SPEAKER_02 0:07

Jacob finally moves. After years of tension, quiet exploitation, and growing unease, Jacob gathers his family, his flocks, and everything that he has, and leaves Padan Aram. It is not just a physical relocation and departure. It is actually an act of obedience to God's calling. Chapter 31, verse 3. Now his life was not meant to be with the land of Laban, although he had been there for a while, and he was able to establish his life. But he was called to live out the covenant life back home. Now, the way that he leaves, however, tells us something about where his heart still is. Even though he's able to obey God, we still see in him uh frailties and weakness. And that's something that we should meditate upon. What does Jacob do? He does not tell Laban, he flees. There's a quiet urgency in the text. Camels are loaded, children are gathered, Rachel and Leah are brought along and everything happens so quickly, almost in secret. Now why is Jacob doing this? After all, isn't he obeying God? Shouldn't he be able to do this more openly? What this shows is that Jacob, although he is more obedient, is still afraid of men, afraid of circumstances, and so forth. The one who has seen God at Bethel and heard God's promises again and again still feels that he needs to control the situation. And we get this, don't we? Sanctification doesn't come so easily. We often move forward in obedience, but not always with full trust. We obey God, yeah, but we still hedge. We still calculate and we still try to manage outcomes instead of resting in God's word. Perfect obedience is something we aim for, but we shouldn't feel so discouraged when we miss the mark. I'm glad that my salvation is not based on my obedience, but on Christ's. Now, why is she doing this? How is this act a significant factor in this narrative? Well, we need to understand that these are not small sentimental objects. In the ancient Near Eastern context, these household idols called Teraphim were often tied to inheritance rights, inheritance rights, also identity and of course protection. Now, Rachel, who has seen uh God, Jehovah, Yahweh, bless Jacob, who has heard the testimony of God's faithfulness, uh still reaches back and takes something from her old world. Why? Perhaps for security reasons, perhaps for control, perhaps because leaving is harder than we think. One thing's for sure, even when God calls us forward, there is often something we are tempted to carry with us from the past. We are, yes, as Christians born again, but we still carry with us some old ways of thinking from the past before we became Christians. Perhaps they are a source of identity and things like that. Maybe even a backup plan just in case that God doesn't come through. Which competes with trusting fully in God. Now it's interesting, almost comical, how Rachel hides the idols. She literally sits on them and deceives her father that way. The so-called gods are seen as powerless. They can be hidden under a saddle, unable to speak, unable to act, unable even to reveal themselves. The narrative quietly exposes their emptiness, and yet the human heart still clings to them. This is where the passage becomes deeply personal. Jacob is moving toward the promise, but is still shaped by fear. Walking in the faith is not an overnight process, as we can see. And we know that really well in our own lives, don't we? It's good to remember that. Walking in the faith is a lifelong process. Rachel is leaving her old life, but she's still holding on to the old securities. Laban is searching desperately, but he cannot find what he believes will give him control. And over all of this, God is quietly at work. Nothing dramatic, no dramatic intervention here, no visible miracle in this section. But his providence is unmistakable. The escape succeeds, the idols are not found, the promise continues to move forward. Now, as we come to the close, let's remember that God's faithfulness to us does not depend on the quality of our faith. He leads his people even though we have mixed motives, partial trust, and imperfect obedience. Oh, God still requires perfect obedience from us. Let's not forget that. God doesn't lower the standards. He demands and requires perfect obedience from us. The good news, however, is that we have perfect obedience indeed. But not from us. Our perfect obedience that we possess is credited to us by Jesus Christ. It's his righteousness and obedience which are ours to claim. And that is not just good news, that is an amazing news. Ultimately, our hope is not what that we obey perfectly or trust completely. Our hope is that God is faithful to his covenant. Many generations later, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, comes not as one who flees in fear or clings to false securities, but as the perfectly obedient one who entrusts himself fully to the Father. Now let us ask ourselves some questions, reflection questions. What am I still holding on to as I follow God? Where am I obeying outwardly but still trusting something else underneath? Can I trust that God is still leading me even here? May the grace and peace of our loving Lord Jesus Christ be with all those who love the Lord with an undying love. Now I typically end with a song. Um I've been working on uh some modern hymns based on the traditional hymns, and I've been using the lyrics. And today's song is it was written by Charles Wesley uh in 1738, I believe. Um yep, 1738, you heard me right. And it's called And Can It Be That I Should Gain. And I uh have a link to the the original hymn, but I also include uh the song that I made. I hope you enjoy. Godspeed.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

And can it be that I should gain an interesting savior's blood? Died he for me who caused his pain for me who him to death pursued Amazing love, how can it be that thou my God should die for me?

SPEAKER_01 9:05

Amazing love how can it be that thou my God should die for me?

SPEAKER_00 9:18

This mystery all the immortal dies who can explore his strange design in vain. The firstborn seraph tries to sound the depths of love divine, tis mercy all letters at all, let angel minds inquiring. He left his father's throne above, so free, so infinite his grace, emptied himself of all but love and blood for Adam's helpless race.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

Immense and free.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

No condemnation. Now I dread Jesus and all in him is mine alive in him.