Have you ever accidentally dropped an open-faced peanut butter and jelly sandwich? In that split second before impact, your eyes widen with both childlike optimism and horror. You hope against hope that maybe, despite gravity and Murphy’s Law, your little sandwich will be the miracle sandwich that lands right-side up. Maybe, oh just maybe…splat! Much of Jacob’s life was just like that—peanut-butter-and-jelly-side-down. Though seasoned in walking with God, he remained a victim of his own carnal clumsiness. Instead of seeing the Lord’s hand of protection on his sons’ lives, he became paralyzed by fear, worry, and resentment. Jacob relied on himself rather than on God’s strength. And his reluctance to trust God almost led to disaster. Sometimes we tend to be just like Jacob—expecting the worst rather than trusting God’s best.

We all have days when an inexorable force seems to be thwarting and frustrating our every move. We wash the car, and it rains. We make a sandwich, turn around for a moment, and suddenly the plate is empty, the dog licking his chops. Stuff happens—and it’s often out of our control. But we can control our response to it.

Genesis 42:29-43:15

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