{"id":814,"date":"2013-10-30T09:59:43","date_gmt":"2013-10-30T13:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rjr.richardross.annaerossi.com\/?p=814"},"modified":"2013-10-30T10:03:57","modified_gmt":"2013-10-30T14:03:57","slug":"var-_gaq-_gaq-_gaq-push_setaccount-ua-25646250-2-_gaq-push_trackpageview-function-var-ga-document-createelementscript-ga-type-textjavascript-ga-39","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rjr.richardross.annaerossi.com\/?p=814","title":{"rendered":"<script type=\"text\/javascript\">  var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-25646250-2']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);  (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text\/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https:\/\/ssl' : 'http:\/\/www') + '.google-analytics.com\/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();  <\/script>  <\/heat> Jacob prepares for his meeting with Esau &#8211; Held on Sunday, October 27, 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Outline of Session held on 10\/27\/13<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Previous Week\u2019s [10\/20\/13] Review<\/li>\n<li>Background to today\u2019s Reading<\/li>\n<li>Reading<\/li>\n<li>Discussion<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><b>Previous Week\u2019s [10\/20\/13] Review<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Over the past two or three sessions we have ended up spending nearly an hour in review of the previous week\u2019s discussion; much of which was prompted by parts of the discussion that I found of interest.\u00a0 I wanted this week [10\/27\/13] to focus instead on the readings themselves.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t have any trouble doing exactly that.<b><\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Background to today\u2019s readings.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Gen. 32:01 \u2013 03 moves us from the departure of Laban to God sending his messenger to Jacob.\u00a0 This is the third time in the Jacob narrative God sends angels\/ messengers to Jacob. The place at which this occurs is named God\u2019s encampment.\u00a0 Throughout this section of the narrative we read about encampments; a word, symbol, of God\u2019s protection. But as we will learn that protection has an edge to it which will be manifest in one of the most famous and most discussed passage \u2013 Jacob wrestles with God and emerges holding his own, physically hurt, and his name changed.<\/p>\n<p>Gen. 32: 04 \u2013 22 reveals two important insights not only into the character of Jacob but really how all of us need to address the challenges that face us.\u00a0 Jacob is aware first of all that he conned his brother Esau of his birthright, and leaves Canaan, his homeland, in part because Esau wants to kill him. He is to learn that Esau is heading toward him with some 400 men.\u00a0 Fear wells up within him.\u00a0 What does he do?\u00a0 He plans and he prays.\u00a0 More than a thousand years later, St. Augustine captured this approach by telling us, \u201cPray like it all depends upon God.\u00a0 Act like it all depends upon you.\u201d\u00a0 This is what Jacob does.\u00a0 What we are invited to do.<\/p>\n<p>In Gen. 32: 04 \u2013 09 Jacob sends his messengers to Esau.\u00a0 The words he instructs his messengers to say helps us to recognize an aspect of Jacob\u2019s plan in approaching his brother.\u00a0 Esau is lord, Jacob is servant. Jacob hopes to gain Esau\u2019s favor.\u00a0 When he learns that Esau is approaching with 400 men, he responds again with a plan; he is eminently practical.<\/p>\n<p>Gen. 32: 10 \u2013 13 is a prayer form that our author places on the lips of Jacob.\u00a0 Each of the four verses expresses one of the elements in this prayer form.\u00a0 Take time as you read the prayer to discern as best you can those elements.\u00a0 Attempt to put words to what Jacob is doing in each verse, why is he doing that.\u00a0 Think of the prayer that Jesus taught us, the Our Father, and see if you can recognize a similar structure.<\/p>\n<p>Gen. 32: 14 \u2013 22 provides greater details to Jacob\u2019s plan.\u00a0 He is leaving nothing to chance as he offers his brother gifts of more than 500 animals, arranges them in three separate droves, instructs his servants exacting what they are to say, how they are to act.\u00a0 He definitely is micromanaging this event.<\/p>\n<p>In Gen. 32: 21b \u2013 22 there is a play on the Hebrew word, penim, which means both \u201cbefore\u201d and \u201cface.\u201d\u00a0 Later on I read a translation that attempts in English to help us see that play at work.<\/p>\n<p><b>We are reminded as we listen to \/ read the passages to wonder <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Who are the characters in the story<\/li>\n<li>What role do these characters play<\/li>\n<li>What is the plot of the story, the author\u2019s intent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Reading: Gen. 32: 04 \u2013 09: Jacob prepares for his meeting with Esau.\u00a0 <\/b><a href=\"http:\/\/usccb.org\/bible\/genesis\/32\">http:\/\/usccb.org\/bible\/genesis\/32<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Discussion<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Ken started our discussion and because what he had to say seemed extremely important to me, I will attempt to quote him.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026 at first I thought, Well none of us have the luxury as Jacob did of God directly making a promise to us.\u00a0 But then I was thinking to myself, well the promises are here [Ken is pointing to the Bible in front of him.]\u00a0 I mean this [again pointing to the Bible] is God talking to us; that\u2019s the thing we need to look at as far as fulfilling the promise.\u00a0 [In the story \u2013 my words] Jacob experiences first hand.\u00a0 <b>We experience it through the Book.<\/b>\u201d [Emphasis added.]<\/p>\n<p>There is so much in what Ken thought and said.\u00a0 We need to realize though that there is a huge assumption in Ken\u2019s thought.\u00a0 We can only experience \u201cit\u201d through the \u201cBook\u201d if we \u2026 at this point I wonder if you can complete the sentence.\u00a0 If we what?\u00a0 Please stop reading long enough to answer that question, even if your answer is I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 It would be wonderful if you, the reader on this website, were to record in the comment section your answer.<\/p>\n<p>If we believe.\u00a0 Without belief, \u201cit\u201d remains a story; with belief, \u201cit\u201d is promises made to us.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u201d changes the meaning of our life, everyone\u2019s life.<\/p>\n<p>At this point I could go on to report the next forty minutes or so of our conversation but without struggling with Ken\u2019s insight, our reading more is just that reading more words.\u00a0 Ken\u2019s thought needs to be taken seriously enough to talk about what he had to say; to move into the words to the things the words reference.\u00a0 What is that?<\/p>\n<p>A final pointer, Ken\u2019s thoughts obviously occurred inside of him.\u00a0 They may have occurred to others but it was Ken who spoke them.\u00a0 Paying attention to that simple fact is critical for understanding why scripture needs to be studied in a group and, in my opinion, by adults; persons who have lived long enough to know the joys and sorrows of our life.\u00a0 And Ken has.<\/p>\n<p>You are invited to respond to these or other questions that might arise within you as you read this passage.\u00a0 Your comments, observations, questions are welcomed.\u00a0 See \u201ccomment\u201d link below<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Outline of Session held on 10\/27\/13 Previous Week\u2019s [10\/20\/13] Review Background to today\u2019s Reading Reading Discussion Previous Week\u2019s [10\/20\/13] Review Over the past two or three sessions we have ended up spending nearly an hour in review of the previous &hellip; 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