The Weekly Word

Hi, friends! Welcome to week 3 of the Weekly Word! I am not going to lie, this week I have struggled a little with my Bible reading. I fell off the wagon for a few days and did not read, but that is okay! This is a journey, and I am not going to be perfect at it. All that matters is that I am trying my best, and I still learned some valuable lessons!

This week I read Genesis 31-36, and I learned these little gems of encouragement:

Your struggle is not going unnoticed, God will come in His time 

Sometimes in our lives, we may struggle for a long time- months, maybe even years, but our struggle is not going unnoticed. It can feel like we are all alone, and God has forgotten us because we are praying and trying but nothing ever changes. But, you are not alone! God always sees us, and He will bring justice in His own time. Jacob struggled for years, but God did come to bring him justice. In Genesis 31:42 Jacob says, "But God has seen my affliction and my hard work, and He brought his verdict last night". Don't lose hope in the storm! As you wait, keep faith in God and know that He sees you, He loves you, and He is coming for you. 

How we treat people and react to situations matters! 

The way that we treat others and react to unfair situations or challenges in our lives shows God to other people. This idea is something we don't always think about, but it is so so important! The way that you treat someone who may have wronged you or done something against you can make all of the difference in that person's life. Jacob had tricked Esau out of everything- his birthright and his father's blessing, so when Jacob was about to meet Esau again he was afraid. He thought that Esau would attack and kill him for what he had done. But that is not how it happened. In Genesis 33:4 it says that "Esau ran to meet him, hugged him, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Then they wept". What grace Esau has shown!! What brotherly love! I love this! This is the kind of grace and love we need to have for everyone that is in our lives. Then, in 33:10 Jacob tells his brother "For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God's face since you have accepted me". This is what we are called to do as Christians! We are called to love, to embrace, and to accept everyone because God loves and accepts everyone. I love that we get the opportunity to literally show God to the world and to His people, just by our actions in daily life. This is the picture of grace and love that we should be striving for every day. You are loved and accepted, so you should love and accept others! What you say and do matters, and you could change someone's life by just one moment of kindness! 

This week I have loved learning about the love and acceptance shown by Esau to Jacob. That is the stuff that really gets me excited! What do you think about these ideas? I'd love to chat in the comments! Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a fantastic week!