Appeasement?

For 2021, I am reading through the Bible with the Bible Project-Biblical Storyline Reading Plan on the YouVersion App. This devotional will follow along with the daily reading.

The reading for January 11 is: Genesis 32-34 

In Genesis 32:20, Jacob tells us the reason he had for sending two hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred ewes, twenty rams, thirty milking camels, and their colts, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty female donkeys, and ten male donkeys. Jacob thinks that Esau still wants to kill him. So, Jacob sends a present before him to appease Esau. Now, there is something strange about a gift that is too big. It makes it seem like you've either done something really bad and this is how you make up for it, or it implies that the receiver of the gift can't take care of themselves. Either way, too big gifts do not compliment the receiver. 

But before Jacob can discover how Esau will receive his gift, Jacob wrestles all night with someone resembling a man who Jacob called God. This is the point when Jacob receives the name Israel, because he struggled with God and with men and prevailed.

Then, Esau ran to meet Jacob and hug him. Now, what I find interesting in Genesis 33:10, is that Jacob says to Esau, "I see your face as one sees the face of God". It seems to me that Jacob is saying, "I wrestled with God, and so now that you have embraced me, I see that God came through for me." But there is another way to look at it. 

What if I lived looking for what God is doing with others? How would I live differently if I expected to find God when I interact with others? 

It's also interesting that Genesis 32:28 speaks of the struggle with God and men. My life seems always to be both a struggle with God and people simultaneously. My idea of what a person should do tends to be quite different from their idea of what is right in their life. So, I go to God and ask, "why?" Well, I find that I need to give up what I think is wise to God, and I also need to trust the person to God. So, it's not as important for me to focus on the specifics of how I disagree with people. What is most important is for me to struggle with people by struggling with God. I come before my God in prayer, and I say, "Blah!" 

And He says, "Blah? Do you not trust me to work through this too? Whatever they do, whatever they believe, do you remember that I am able to change their hearts in my perfect timing? Why be so frustrated? You can do nothing to change your circumstances, but My plan will bring what is absolutely best for everyone involved. What burdens do you want to lay upon me?"

So, I examine how when I find myself struggling against people, I am really struggling against trusting them to God.