That Was Then, This Is Now

Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept. –Genesis 33:4 NLT

Genesis 25–36 tells the story of Esau and Jacob, two brothers who started off on the wrong foot from birth. Growing up, Jacob convinced Esau, the oldest son, to hand over his birthright. Later Jacob, by trickery, received his father’s blessing which was supposed to be Esau’s. Hot-tempered Esau wanted to kill Jacob for what he had done. In fear, Jacob left home to live elsewhere. Both brothers played a part in the division that came between them. Twenty years later, God instructed Jacob to return home. During the journey, Jacob became terrified that Esau might attack him because of his brother’s former attitude toward him. However, after witnessing Esau’s transformation, Jacob became calm, and the brothers were reunited joyfully. Like Jacob, have you been apprehensive about reconnecting with a person from your past because of how you were treated or how you treated him or her? Or perhaps you’re like Esau, and now you are ready to forgive someone who has wronged you in the past. In either case, don’t allow a previous ill feeling toward someone keep you from a possible joyful reunion.