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RECONCILIATION - THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

DATE: SATURDAY, 12TH FEBRUARY, 2022 

TOPIC: RECONCILIATION

TEXT: GENESIS 33:1-17

1. Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants.
2. And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last.
3. Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
5.  And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, "Who [are] these with you?" So he said, "The children whom God has graciously given your servant."
6.  Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down.
7.  And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down.
8.  Then Esau said, "What [do] you [mean by] all this company which I met?" And he said, "[These are] to find favor in the sight of my lord."
9.  But Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself."
10.  And Jacob said, "No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.
11.  "Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough." So he urged him, and he took [it.]
12.  Then Esau said, "Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you."
13.  But Jacob said to him, "My lord knows that the children [are] weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing [are] with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die.
14.  "Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir."
15.  And Esau said, "Now let me leave with you [some] of the people who [are] with me." But he said, "What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord."
16.  So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
17.  And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

MESSAGE:
As part of his grand plan to meet with Esau, Jacob placed the children of the maidservants and those of Leah in front and of course, his beloved Rachel was at the back with her only son, Joseph. Crafty man! He himself approached Esau alone: He became very humble and bowed himself to the ground seven times. God intervened and touched the heart of Esau and he ran and embraced him. Esau never recounted the past; in that instant, they were blood brothers again. They reconciled. Jacob persuaded Esau to accept some gifts from him to show he had found his favour; Jacob's actions came from a guilty conscience all through the encounter.

Many families, communities and even some members of denominations are today entangled in quarrels that have lasted for years; Some from one generation to the other. Bitterness has been entrenched in many hearts as many have refused to forget or forgive. Such people still pray daily the portion of the Lord's Prayer that requests God to forgive us as we forgive those who hurt us. Let us emulate Esau and Jacob here and reconcile our differences, let go of all bitterness of the past and learn to love one another. This can only be possible if we give our lives to Christ and decide to forgive one another from the depth of our hearts as God forgives us. We must start today.

PRAYER: 
Dear Lord, You reconciled us with the Father, may You help me to be reconciled with whoever I have anything against.

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