Genesis 31:17-25
Jacob woke extra early this morning. He stretched then pulled his blanket up to his nose. "Wait--What am I doing? --Today, I'm going home!"
He leaped out of bed and danced a jig. "I'm taking my family home to the land God has given my family. They're gonna love it. Oh, I can't wait to see father, and mother, and well--". He raised an eyebrow. "I wonder if Esau will still want to kill me....hmmmm."
Jacob brushed the tent flap away. A servant heaved a heavy trunk on top a camel. Little Joseph ran to Jacob and gave him a hug.
He rubbed his eyes then giggled. "Father, I'm going on a long trip to see your father.""Yes, we all are. You, your mother, all your brothers, all our family will go."
Joseph looked up. "Can I say bye to Grandpa Laban?"
Jacob shook his head. "Not now, Son. His house is three days journey away. Not only that, he's very busy right now. Come. Let's join the others."
Joseph skipped over to his brothers. He sneaked behind his sister Dinah and yanked her hair.
Jacob called the family together. "It's time to leave. We have a long journey, so we best get started." He helped his sons and wives onto their camels.
Leah lost her balance, but Jacob helped to steady her. "Jacob, won't my father be upset that we're not saying good bye before we leave?"
Jacob sighed. "I'd rather not think about him right now. It'd ruin our journey. He's deceived me for the last time."
"But the children--they want to say good bye."
Jacob shook his head. "If he finds out we're leaving, he'll devise a plan to make us stay. No. Not another day. My sons and daughter belong in the land God has given my father, Isaac, and his father, Abraham."
Jacob walked over to Rachel. "Are you OK?"
Rachel smiled. "Yes, of course. I made sure everything was packed."
"That's one thing Laban can't accuse me of." Jacob rolled his eyes. "I've taken nothing that doesn't belong to us." He glanced back at their belongings packed high on the camels. "You checked all the supply trunks, right? There is nothing here that doesn't belong to us, right?"
"Yes, Jacob." Rachel placed her hand on Jacob's arm. "Father would be furious if we took something of his."
"Good." He squeezed her hand and walked to the front of the caravan.
The servants herded the livestock together. Jacob smiled then waved forward. "Let's go!"
He led his family south across the river and desert toward the mountains of Gilead. Time passed quickly. Several days later they reached the mountains. Jacob looked for a flat area to set up camp.
"Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, help stake the tents." As Jacob turned to check on his sons he noticed a group of riders in the distance.
Rachel ran up to Jacob and grabbed his arm. Her eyes were wide. "Father's come after us. What'll we do?"
Jacob stood tall. "Don't worry. God will take care of us."
Do you think Jacob was concerned? His wives and children were Laban's daughters and grandchildren. Jacob moved them away without saying good bye. If someone sneaks something do they really know deep down that they're doing something they shouldn't be doing?
Sometimes sneaking isn't bad, like when you put a present under the Christmas tree without wanting anyone seeing you. You reason for sneaking is to make someone happy. But Jacob didn't sneak away to make Laban happy. Why did Jacob sneak away? What did he do that would have made God sad?
29 comments:
that is roud for him not to say goodbye.
i liked it.
it is so good
How do you think GOD would feel if you snuck away.You are a very good.
Jacob sneaked away because if Laban caught him he would have to stay where he was.
LOVE,MADDI
Dear Merry vee he would run away from him it probily made God sad.
LOVE GENTRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He sneaked away without saying goodbye to his uncle then his uncle angry.What do you think made God sad?Austin Jordan
Dear Mary vee,Jacob didn't say that he was leaving.
That was mean. God probale was sad.
Love,Delaney
Jacob sneaked away because he did not want to stay there any more.He made God sad by not saying bye.My brothers name is Jacob.
love,Jade
Jacob sneaked away from God and that made
God very sad.
love lacey
I loved that story.Jacab made a Bad deshon to not say goodbye to Laban.From Brett
he wanted to go home to the land god gave him but the right thing to do was tell him that he was leaving
love:chloe
Sneaking away is a very very bad thing to do. Love Bayleigh
I think God might have been sad because Jacob left without saying goodbye. I think Laban will be mad because he's going back to the land God gave Jacob. And I think that Jacob should go back to the land God has given him because he's just working for Laban constantly while Laban gets to pretend like he's a king.
Bye
Tommy
I like the story and I do think that God would be sad because he should say goodbye to Laban. But Laban did trick him so I don't blame him for not wanting to say goodbye.
Ella
Yes, it was rude.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Well, you asked a very good question. Adam and Eve tried to sneak away from God. Were they able to hide from him?
Thank you.
True. That is what Jacob thought would happen.
Yes. I think God would have been sad, too.
Let me ask you a question to answer your question. If you didn't go to church, or didn't open your Bible, how do you think God would feel?
Good answer, Delaney. :)
Good answer, Jade.
How cool that your brother has the same name as in our story today!
Good answer.
Hi Brett
Yes, I agree that he made a bad decision to not say goodbye.
Very true, Chloe.
Sometimes good decisions are difficult to make, though, especially when we don't ask God first.
This is true, Bayleigh.
Tommy,
Ooo, what a good answer. Laban did pretend like he was a king.
Well done.
Ella,
Still, think about the times you might be upset with your brother, other siblings, parents, or anyone. If you were leaving, wouldn't you at least say goodbye?
Here is a deep question for you both. When Jesus went to the cross and died....why didn't He say goodbye?
Post a Comment