Genesis 32:1

Genesis 32:1 says, And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.  As Jacob was on his way beck home, he was met by the angels of God.  I don't believe I have ever met an angel, but I am fairly certain that if someone meets one today in a positive way that they like Jacob would need to be on their way to do God's will.  Verse two states, And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.  Jacob named the place where he met the angels, who he called God's host.  Verse three declares, And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.  Jacob had been gone for twenty years, and he sent a messenger to Esau to tell him that he was coming home.  Jacob was still afraid that Esau would want to kill Him.  No matter how strained our relationship with our family may become, as followers of Christ, we should always attempt to restore it, especially if we are in the wrong.  Verse four adds, And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:  Jacob told them to tell Esau where he had been.  Verse five continues, And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.  Jacob told them to tell Esau of his success and his hope that he could find grace in Esau's sight.  Jacob referred to Esau as his Lord.  No matter how successful we may be in the world, we always need the grace of God and must always acknowledge Him as our Lord if we are to be successful in following Him.  Verse six says, And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.  The messengers returned and told Jacob that Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men.  Verse seven states, Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;  When Jacob heard that Esau was coming with all these men, he was afraid and divided his group into two groups.  I believe that at this point that Jacob had forgotten God's promise and that he was doing what God had directed him to do.  If we encounter what seems to be overwhelming odds today, if we are doing what God has directed us to do, we need not be afraid.  Verse eight adds, And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.  Jacob thought that by dividing his company that if Esau destroyed one maybe the other would survive.  I am not sure how effective this would have been, but it was Jacob's plan and not God's plan.  We need to rely on God's leadership in possible dangerous situations and not own our own understanding.  Verse nine declares, 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:  Jacob now calls on God, but he still refers to God as the God of Abraham and Isaac, but he did say that God had directed him to return home.  The fact that God had directed him should have been assurance enough for Jacob, but I believe that Jacob was still lacking that personal relationship with God.  We cannot expect God to be with us and protect us based on the relationship that our parents and grandparents have with Him.  Though He may, until we have that personal relationship with Him, we may doubt that God will truly protect us.  Verse ten adds,
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.  Jacob acknowledged his own unworthiness, as we must when we stand before God.  Verse eleven continues, 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.  After Jacob made his plans, then he called on God for His help.  If we are where God has directed us to be and we encounter opposition, real or imagined, the first thing we should do is call on God.  Verse twelve declares, 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.  Jacob reminded God of His promise, although he seemed to lack the faith to really live by it.  If we are where God wants us to be, we do not need to remind Him of the promises that He has made to us.  We simply need to act in faith.