Love at first sight.
Jacob falls in love with Rachel the first time he sees her. He immediately performs an act of gallantry
in removing the stone so that she might water her flocks first and then greets
her with a kiss and makes his introduction as her cousin. Laban is delighted for this young man to be
here and his greeting of Jacob is interesting, “Surely you are my bone and my
flesh!” Seems like we have heard that
before, in Genesis 2 when Adam delights over the woman God has provided him,
“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” Adam’s response was provoked after going
through all the animals, naming them and then finding no suitable mate for
himself. Here, perhaps Laban feels the
same way about Jacob, but much water will pass under the bridge before this is
done.
What an interesting thought that Jesus is a Samaritan and
has a demon. One thing everyone is sure
about throughout His life is that He is from Galilee. There must have been a story told about the
visit to Samaria in John 4 that was making the rounds that He fraternized with
“those people.” He leaves alone that
statement but does affirm that He doesn’t have a demon. Jesus’ statement that He pre-existed Abraham
is certainly an odd thing to say unless it is true. If someone made such a statement today we
would take one of two attitudes towards them, either they believed in reincarnation
or they needed some psychiatric help.
How could the crowd have gotten at an understanding of Jesus’
claim? No one was prepared for such a
Messiah as Jesus. He is bone of our
bone, flesh of our flesh, but also of one being with the Father, that is more
than anyone could have understood prior to the resurrection.
Paul is telling the church at Rome how to love one
another. His first admonition is to
welcome newcomers but not if the purpose is to argue about things like dietary
restrictions and observances of particular days. Paul says these things are matters of
individual conscience for believers and not rules for the entire
community. We see some of that now in
matters like vegetarianism and in more protestant denominations who do not
observe Saints days, Lent, Advent, or other days that we observe in our
tradition. I find value in these
observances but others do not. So long
as we are not diminishing Jesus or exalting someone to the place only He
deserves there is no harm. Paul says to
keep first things first, the kingdom of God is about things like righteousness,
peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, not these secondary things. Our time here is short, too short to spend it
arguing about such things, charity is required.
Our attitude towards other Christians is indeed to be like Laban’s
greeting of Jacob.
Lord, you have been
our dwelling place
in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Satisfy us in the morning
with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Let your work be shown
to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!
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