But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down.
I have said this before but courtroom forgiveness is one of the most amazing and confounding things to witness, when the loved ones of a victim forgive the accused. It is a picture of God’s mercy to us that exhilarates his followers and angers those whose thirst for revenge is strong. Esau hungered so much that he forfeited his birthright to Jacob, who then deceived him out of the firstborn’s blessing. He thirsted for vengeance. Here though, both Jacob and Esau exhibited vastly different behavior. What happened? In Jacob’s case, remember that he had a certain wrestling match that changed his outlook. Esau’s response must be due to a similar encounter.
Esau’s reaction reminds me of the father in the Prodigal Son parable who ran to the son who squandered half his fortune and kissed him. Esau could see that the God of Abraham and Isaac was the God of Jacob as well because of the blessing given to Jacob; 12 sons. Esau had a genuine change of heart that we experienced when meeting God. We pray for loved ones that we would run to, weeping and kissing them. Pray for them today, that they would experience the love of God the Father today.
Dear Lord, thank you for the love and blessing of being your children. May we be joined by others who would experience the joy of Jesus today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church