There is no human on earth that has not experienced a broken relationship with another human.  Maybe it was a close friend who was like a brother or sister, but one of you moved away and you didn’t keep in touch.  Maybe you moved because a family member expected way more than you could give back to them.  Maybe it was because you wanted to do life on your own without help from anyone else; so, you left all other relationships behind that you felt hindered your freedom.  Or maybe, you deceived them and had to leave town before you were caught and had to pay for the damages down.  For whatever reason, relationships are worth restoring.  But it all begins with our relationship with God.

God has done a great work in Esau. But Jacob doesn’t know that—yet. Jacob dreaded to see the brother he had deceived twenty years earlier.  But Jacob was led by God to go home and face all that he had left behind.  Jacob knew God was with him; but he plotted a “plan B” just in case meeting with Esau didn’t go well. Was a backup plan necessary, though?

Isn’t that just like us?  We worry ourselves sick over what the worst that might happen; discounting the fact that God has gone before us to prepare the Way to restoration.

Genesis 33

Jacob Meets Esau

Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. ² He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. ³ He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

⁴ But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. ⁵ Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.

Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

⁶ Then the female servants and their children approached and bowed down. ⁷ Next, Leah and her children came and bowed down. Last of all came Joseph and Rachel, and they too bowed down.

⁸ Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?”

“To find favor in your eyes, my lord,” he said.

⁹ But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”

¹⁰ “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. ¹¹ Please accept the present that was brought to you, for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.

¹² Then Esau said, “Let us be on our way; I’ll accompany you.”

¹³ But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender and that I must care for the ewes and cows that are nursing their young. If they are driven hard just one day, all the animals will die. ¹⁴ So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the flocks and herds before me and the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

¹⁵ Esau said, “Then let me leave some of my men with you.”

“But why do that?” Jacob asked. “Just let me find favor in the eyes of my lord.”

¹⁶ So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. ¹⁷ Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, where he built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place is called Sukkoth.

¹⁸ After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. ¹⁹ For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. ²⁰ There he set up an altar and called it *El Elohe Israel. 

(*El Elohe Israel can mean El is the God of Israel or mighty is the God of Israel.)

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Restoration with others begins with possessing, growing, and nurturing the most relationship of all—our relationship with God.  This requires “walking humbly with God,” (Micah 6:8). A relationship with God means truly listening to what He has to say with a willing obedient heart with a desire to do what He says because of our committed love for Him.  Our relationship with God is believing that HE knows what is best for us.  It means leaning not on our own human abilities to problem solve or relate to others; but to wholly lean on His wisdom, insight and understanding. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

This holy relationship with God means giving up what we think we want; to gain everything God knows we need—and more! 

God loves with a love that is beyond human thinking.  God loved us before we knew to love Him back.  His love never fails and is relentless and unchanging.  His love “covers over a multitude of sins.”  His love cost us nothing but our willingness to love Him back.  But His love for us cost Him his One and Only Son who loved us and gave his life to redeem us from all our sins while removing them “as far as the east is from the west”!

Without Jesus redeeming us, a restored relationship with our loving God would not be possible.  “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins,” writes Peter who is a disciple of Jesus who was forgiven often and completely by Jesus.  God’s work in Peter transformed him to love like Jesus loved him.  God’s work in all who believe in Him, over countless generations, has transformed our relationship with Him and with others.  As we grow in His love we begin to scratch the surface of what love means. 

John defines the love of God as “knowing God” who is Love.  1 John 4:7-8  (Read all the writings of John to get the full picture of the love of God!)

Paul clarifies what God’s Love does and doesn’t do: 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”     1 Corinthians 13:4-13

In restoring relationships, will we seek God first and follow His leading?

Will His love lead us to reconcile?

Will we run to those who broke our heart with open arms or plot their demise?

Esau showed us what real forgiveness looks like when he welcomed Jacob back into his life. God did that!

Lord,

Thank you for this story of forgiveness and restored relationship that represents what you have done for us.  Thank you for forgiveness of all our sins. Thank you for making us whole and holy is your presence. Thank you for being with us always. Thank you for guiding us to higher thinking with restored relationships with others. Restoration begins with You in our hearts.  Help us to love and forgive like you did for us.

In Jesus Name, Amen

From the cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”  Luke 23:34