Praying with No Strings Attached
When you think of people in the Bible who were known for prayer, Jacob probably isn’t one that comes to mind. Whenever I read through the chapters in Genesis that chronicle his life, I am struck by how messy and complicated his family life became. But you and I also have our messy parts of life, and God records for us a moment in Jacob’s life that shows some remarkable growth in how he related to God.
But first, some context:
If you are familiar with the narratives in Genesis, you probably remember how Jacob and his mother tricked Jacob’s father into giving the blessing to Jacob instead of his brother Esau. Esau was understandably upset about this, but allowed his bitterness to build to the point of wanting to kill Jacob.
Jacob’s parents sent him away under the guise of finding a wife from among his mother’s people in Haran, and on the way, Jacob has his first personal encounter with God. (Genesis 28) Out in the wilderness, he dreams of a ladder reaching up to heaven, and God Himself speaks to him, officially extending the promise originally made to Abraham and Isaac.
In his first independent action recorded for us, Jacob takes the stone he had used as a pillow and sets it upright, pouring oil on it and calling the place Bethel, which means the House of God. Notice what he says to God in response to this glimpse of God’s glory and faithfulness:
“And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, if God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again unto my father’s house in peace: then shall the Lord be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house, and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee.” (28:20-22)
Did you catch the “if”? Jacob’s personal relationship with God is still in its infancy here, and we see him talk to God with a measure of pride, essentially making a bargain. How like us at times!
But then, years later, Jacob prays again. This time, he is on his way back to his “father’s house,” the land so familiar to him, but also land that required contact with Esau. From the preparations he makes, we can see that he is nervous, if not downright frightened about Esau’s reaction to his return.
It is in this state of uncertainty and fear that Jacob prays again:
“And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee; I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. And Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.” (Genesis 32:9-12)
Here’s what struck me about this prayer: Instead of bargaining with God, instead of making promises or trying to tell God what to do, Jacob cries out to God with humility, acknowledging with gratefulness the undeserved mercies God has already poured out upon him. He does remind God that he is obeying Him by returning, and that God had already promised to make his descendants a multitude. But notice that Jacob’s prayer doesn’t contain an “if.” Jacob is presenting his cause to the Lord with open hands, willing to receive what is given, and trusting God to fulfill His promises.
Now, I don’t want to make a distinction that Scripture doesn’t give: we are not told that God was displeased with Jacob’s first prayer—He knows our frailties and pride well enough. I have a feeling He looked on Jacob’s first bargaining prayer much as we would look at a child’s scribbled drawing or first toddling steps. But God abhors pride, and cannot help but think God delighted in the humility of Jacob’s second prayer. Perhaps the two were included in order to give us the contrast between two phases of Jacob’s walk with God, and to show us that he really did become a man of faith later in life.
But for you and I, dear Reader, this prayer of humble dependence and trust is a fitting example to follow. How is it with you heart today? Are you taking your cares, fears, and worries to the Lord with open hands? Or do you bring your requests with an “if”?
God is unchanging, and is as faithful and capable now as He was in Jacob’s time. You can trust Him to fulfill His promises just as Jacob did! So bring that thing that has been worrying you, bring the person or situation that seems so impossible. Bring it all to God—but bring it with no strings attached—and see what He will do!
“And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.” Psalm 9:10