There is much of the old Jacob here, but there is also something new. Although upon hearing of Esau’s enigmatic approach he first plans, then he prays, and what a beautiful prayer it is.
He calls God every name in the book, in a beautiful way. He begins His prayer by thinking on who He is talking to. When struggling in prayer, begin with God. Then Jacob expresses such humility confessing he is not worthy of the least of all of God’s kindnesses. Take all of God’s kindnesses toward us and put them in a barrel such that the greatest rise to the top and the least fall to the bottom, then scrape the sediment off the bottom – this is what Jacob says He is not worthy of, nor are we. Only after adoration and confession does he humbly bring his petition before God pleading on the basis of God’s promises. The Word of God fuels, informs, and empowers his prayers. You cannot be mighty in prayer if weak in the Word. We are to pray in faith, and faith comes by the Word.
So Jacob oscillates between planning and prayer, but God does not capitulate in faithfulness. God is faithful when we failthlessly plan. This is evidenced not just in God answering Jacob’s prayer, but in Jacob praying. Prayerless Jacob now prays a model prayer. Jacob’s prayer is both a result of God’s grace and a means to more grace. Pray to learn how to pray. Pray for grace to pray as a means to more grace.
No Other Boast 