No need for plan b

I have been reading in Genesis for the last few days. I love to read these early stories. I pulled such strength from the Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachael during the years that I was crying out to God for a child. This week my focus was turned to one of the men, Jacob. There is a lot that I could learn from the life of Jacob. This morning while reading, Genesis 32:6-12 really struck me!

6 Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” 7 So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. 8 And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.”

9 Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. 12 For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

 I couldn't just keep on reading. I had to put some thought into this and into my own life and the way that I handle stressful or fearful situations. I realized that this was a mirror for my own life! How many times had I been told by God to do something, and the minute that one thing looked like it might interfere with that something, I panicked and made my own plans. Then I prayed and ask God to save me or to bless my plans! I have it so backwards. I need to first go to the throne and seek His face and ask for Him to reveal His plan for me. After that, there should be no need for a plan b! Seems so simple. Yet, I find myself spinning situations over and over in my head trying to work out all of the best and worst case scenarios. When all the while my Father is saying in Ex 14:14  "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” What a promise! 

Remember, God is faithful to His word!