SCRIPTURE: Genesis 33
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
(Read my reflection from 2008)
“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. [Genesis 33:10]
Jacob knows that at one time Esau wanted to kill him [Genesis 27:41].
He also knows that Esau has a right to be angry, seeing how he tricked his brother.
He approaches his brother with fear, hoping to appease him with gifts.
But then he is lovingly welcomed and blessed by Esau – totally unexpected.
It is this amazing grace that leads him to say: to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” [John 14:6-7]
Jesus makes some bold statements, but here we have one of the boldest.
To see Him is to see the Father – He is the face of God!
As sinners we either avoid God, or we approach Him like Jacob did Esau… with gifts and words that will appease Him.
But through Jesus we discover that God is not looking for our promises or our gifts.
He loves us and welcomes us despite what we have done in the past.
Through Jesus we experience the amazing grace of God.
To see His face is like seeing the face of God, now that He has received us favorably.

Jesus is the true and only way back to life with God.
We do not get back into God’s favor by giving Him gifts, by impressing Him with our words or actions.
God loves us, and wants us back with Him in loving fellowship.
It is not His anger, but our resistance and rebellion that keeps us from Him.
God does everything He can to remove the barrier between us.
Jesus’ death absorbs the pain and penalty of our sin, and His resurrection overcomes the power of sin, death and hell – opening the way for us to be fully restored!
Jesus is not a wall keeping people from God, He is a door opening the way to God.

To see Jesus is the see God; to experience Jesus’ grace is to experience God’s grace.
He is not standing before us with a long list of demands and expectations, He is standing before us with His arms open wide waiting to welcome and embrace us.
Like Jacob we come with our speeches, promises and gifts, hoping that God will welcome us because of them.
Like Jacob, and like the prodigal son, we are blown away by how we are received without them.
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ [Luke 15:22-24]

PRAYER:
Lord, Your gracious welcome for me is the embrace of God. Though I do not deserve it, I receive it with joy!