There are two ways in which we may be corrected by God: by changing our mind and following Hos instruction or by continuing in our own way and learning by experience.

Jacob grabs from his brother Esau and learns by experience with Laban what this means: he serves his time in the service of Laban for 14 years and experiences his wages changed 10 times.

The power of life or death is in the tongue. Rachel steals the teraphim (household gods) from Laban and when Jacob is accused of stealing them, he says that the person who has stolen them, will die. Beware what we say. Rachel dies in childbirth during that journey back to Isaac.

Jacob desires blessing with all his heart and wrestles with God to plead for this, so he gains a new name, Israel - he who rules with God.

The first verse that God spoke into my heart in my early teens, long before I turned to God, came from today's New Testament reading: Come unto me, all ye labouring and burdened ones, and I will give you rest.

God intends us to live without stress, fear and anxiety. Learn to trust Him