Jacob Meets Rachel (Genesis 29)Reading with your child.....
Jacob continued to travel east and after a long time found a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying beside it. In those days wells had large stones on top of them so nothing would fall down them. When it was time to water the flocks, the stone would be rolled away, they would water the sheep and then put the stone back in its place. When Jacob went to this particular well, there were several men beside it along with the sheep. Jacob called out to them and said, "My brothers, where are you from?" Jacob didn't know where he was exactly! The men told them they were from Haran. Jacob said, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" "Yes!", they replied. "Is he alright?" Jacob asked. And they answered, "Yes, he is well. As a matter of fact, here comes his daughter Rachel now with the sheep." Jacob said to them "Its about noon. It isn't time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep and then put them in the field." But the men told him they weren't able to do that because the flocks were not all gathered and the stone had not been rolled away yet.
While Jacob was still talking with them, Rachel approached with her father's sheep because she was taking care of them. When Jacob saw her, he went up to the well, unrolled the stone and watered the sheep himself. Then he kissed Rachel and cried because he was so happy to see her. He told her that he was a relative of hers, in fact her father's nephew since Laban and Rebekah were brother and sister. Rachel ran and told her father and he ran to Jacob and hugged and kissed him. He welcomed Jacob and Jacob stayed with them for a month.
Your child's insights.....
- Have you ever gone some where and not known where you were when you got there? How did that feel? How did that change once you knew where you were and that it was someplace exciting?
- Have you ever been so excited to see someone you didn't know what to do with yourself?
- Have you ever met a relative that you had never met before? What did it feel like?
- Do you think Jacob was bossy with the men he met? Why or why not?
Ideas for prayer with your child......
- Pray that they would be able to meet relatives that live at a distance and enjoy relationships with them.
- Pray for strong connections with your children if they ever are at a long distance from you.
- Talk to your child about a relative who lives far away from you and how it would feel to meet them again. Perhaps relate this to meeting loved ones in heaven.
Some thoughts for your consideration......
- Jacob is a pretty arrogant person in my mind. He shows up, invited, and starts ordering the other men around then he does exactly what they say it isn't time to do yet by watering the sheep. He had to make a tremendous effort to go against them and move an incredibly heavy stone just to impress Rachel. I wonder what she thought....
- As parents, I don't think it is ever too early to start praying about our children when they are grown. I think stories such as this are good reminders to do that - to pray for a time when we might be at a distance from our children, in any sense, and seek God for strength, wisdom and loving interactions with them for whenever that time comes.
- It is so joyful meeting loved ones after not seeing them for an extended time. There is something very sweet about a reunion that has been longed for, especially for one that you didn't imagine you would have. I just went to a reunion a few weeks ago and it was incredible seeing the children of my friends and family I had either never met before or hadn't seen in a very long time. There is just something incredible about seeing a child who has grown and changed into a responsible and self sufficient person. I wonder what it will be like to reunite with loved ones in heaven surrounded by joy and seeing the wonder of perfection in one another.
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