The Stirring of the Nest

Gen 31:1  And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory. 2  And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. 3  And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

It was time for Jacob to take what was his, thanks to the Lord, and get to the promised land.

1. God had to stir the nest. Jacob had been in a comfort zone for 21 years. His roots had gone too deep in a foreign land. Time to go!

2. Laban, the deceiver of the deceiver, had too large a place in Jacob's life. He was an idol worshiper and a manipulator. This was no place to raise the 12 princes of God's people.

3. Jealously and resentment among Laban's sons and Laban himself were evident to Jacob. He knew this would only fester. The Lord used this discomfort to turn his thoughts toward his real home.

4. God used Jacob's skills to start the separation process. He blessed him so that he would do well for a long time to come (until the world wide famine/Egypt) vs 9

5. God gave Jacob the necessary vision to do what had to be done. 11-13

6. He made a clean break, but Laban caught up with him to continue manipulating him.

7. Finally he made the journey home, but not without wrestling with God about his character and confronting his past (Esau).  

I hope you can relate these incidents to your own journey!