I Have Seen – 10.29.08

Genesis 31:12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

These words were spoken by the angel of God to a man named Jacob (and were repeated by Jacob to Laban, verse 42). This messenger is sent to assure Jacob that God has seen all that Laban (Jacob's father-in-law) had done to him. Suffice it to say, it wasn't nice.

For one thing, Jacob served Laban 7 years for his daughter Rachel. At the end of that 7 years, Laban instead gave him Leah (who wasn't near as pretty). "Oops, forgot to tell you, we never let the younger daughter marry first." So Jacob worked another 7 years for the girl he really wanted. In the 6 years following that, Jacob continued to tend to Laban's flocks and herds, and Laban continued to slight him – changing his wages a total of 10 times, according to verse 41.

Not to say that Jacob didn't have it coming. His name means "supplant-er," and he had worked a couple con jobs in his day, on his own brother. But what I'd like to draw our attention to is the fact that God saw all that happened. And the point of the message to Jacob was DON'T WORRY! Because God knows what's going on, and He will ultimately settle the score (though it may be in eternity).

Now, I believe this is applicable to us today. I'm sure you'll not have to think too long and hard to come up with the name of someone who has done you dirty. And if you can't come up with anything, thank God, but don't hold your breath. Sooner than later, you will have your own story to tell.

What we have to do when we find ourselves in those situations is (1) make sure it's not our fault. Why are you being mistreated? Might you have done something to deserve it? Are you reaping what you've sown? And once we've got that taken care of, (2) we have got to find a way to remember that nothing gets past God, and it's up to Him to take care of it.

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

That's a troubling verse, if your life gives God some evil to behold. But it's also an encouraging verse, if you're one of those that's on the good side. No good deed is done that God does not notice and will not ultimately reward. And no misdeed is done that God does not notice and will not ultimately judge. We've just got to make sure we're on the right side of this thing and let Him take care of it!

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

So that other person's mistreatment of you does not and will not escape God's notice. And just as long as you KEEP doing what is right (or START doing what is right) despite it all, God will see that, too, and IN THE LONG RUN, He will bless you abundantly for it.