Jacob Returns to Esau

 In the Book of Bereshit or Genesis tells about the challenges faced by Jacob, When Jacob returned to the Land of Israel after completing his stay in the Aram region.

This was revealed When he heard that his brother named Esau who had a grudge against him was on his way to meet him and Jacob sent (Vayishlach, “he sent” in Hebrew) a diplomatic entourage to meet Esau.

Jacob sent messengers to Esau to inform him that he was returning to the land of Canaan and wanted to make peace with his twin brother named Esau and the messengers returned to Jacob with the news that Esau was meeting him with a battalion of soldiers.

Jacob responded to this news in three ways: 

1. He sent Esau generous gifts to try to appease him. 

2. He prayed to God. 

3. He prepared for war if it proved necessary.

(Jacob begins his prayer), “I am no longer worthy, because of all the goodness and trust that you have shown me, your servant.” (Genesis 32:11) and although he recognized his many advantages, he was also human and realized how much we all owe to God.

With this in mind, Jacob humbly concluded that his merits were not enough to earn God's protection, therefore, he begged God to save him and his family not because of his own goodness.

Although Jacob was indeed worthy, because of God's pure goodness and following Jacob's example, whenever we ask God for something, we should also ask for God's goodness and mercy alone and nothing else.

If we ask for help based on our worthiness and we all certainly have many merits and God's response will be limited to the extent to which we deserve to be helped.

But when we humbly ignore our worthiness, showing that we are aware that we are mere human beings, God will respond with blessings that transcend the natural order.


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