Genesis 33:11-15 "Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it. And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee. And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir. And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord."
Jacob had sent a great flock before him as a gift to Esau. In a previous verse, Esau had told Jacob to keep the gift. Esau assured him that he had plenty and did not need any portion of Jacob’s flock. However, Jacob saw the matter in a different light.
This was a living sacrifice that Jacob made to honor God. With this gift, Jacob was declaring that what he had was because of God’s grace. Esau’s declaration that he had enough was likely a way of saying to Jacob that he did not need Jacob’s help. Jacob’s declaration that he had enough was giving God the glory.
Esau then wanted to take the lead and for Jacob to follow him. We must be careful in our lives that we do not begin to follow the wrong things when God has brought us safely through a fearful situation. Jacob had no intention of following Esau even though their meeting had been peaceful. He knew that to do so would be disastrous for that which God had blessed him with.
Jacob made his refusal with humility, but he did refuse to follow Esau. His desire was to continue on “softly.” Life is so much better for us when we can continue on softly in the grace of God. There is no joy in pursuing hard after carnal things.
Esau tried one last time to have some influence on Jacob’s journey. He said, “If you will not follow me, let me leave some of my men with you.” Our Adversary today will often tell us that it is alright not to follow wholeheartedly after him. But he will often try to persuade us to just let a few of his ideas hang around.
Dear ones, let us walk humbly with our God. May we have grace to know that what God provides is enough. Be quick to confess his blessing. Let your testimony be that God has dealt graciously with you!