Genesis 33:1-11

Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah, Rachel, and the two handmaids. He put the handmaids and their children in front, Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. He himself passed over in front of them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck, kissed him, and they wept. He lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, “Who are these with you?”

He said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the handmaids came near with their children, and they bowed themselves. Leah also and her children came near, and bowed themselves. After them, Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?”

Jacob said, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; let that which you have be yours.”

Jacob said, “Please, no, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present at my hand, because I have seen your face, as one sees the face of God, and you were pleased with me. Please take the gift that I brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” He urged him, and he took it.

Have you ever been extremely nervous about something that was about to happen? If so, do you remember what it felt like when everything worked out? It’s like a big weight is taken off of us when this happens. We can go from the depths of fear to the heights of joy. That’s what Jacob must have felt like when his brother ran up him and was happy to see him. Evidently, God had been working in Esau’s heart.

Obviously, both of these men had changed over the years. Esau no longer wanted to kill his brother, and Jacob was willing to deal with his problems.

Notice that Jacob says that God had “dealt graciously with” him. God had given Jacob more than enough and he was very happy to give what he didn’t need away. This is a good thing for us to practice too. We should recognize that God has given us more than we need and be willing to give to others when we can. When we realize how much God has done for us, we are happy to share what we have been given with others. Like Jacob we were facing the punishment for our sin, but God has graciously taken it all away.