Removing every speckled and spotted one, and every black one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. This will be my hire. So my righteousness will answer for me hereafter, when you come concerning my hire that is before you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and black among the sheep, that might be with me, will be considered stolen. Genesis 30:32-33
Spend time in nature
Take a Sabbath walk along a trail where there are a variety of trees. Gather some sticks that would make great shepherd rods. If you have Plane Wood, Almond Wood, or Poplar Wood trees near, you can tell everyone they are using the same wood as Jacob. As you are walking, spot the precious creations of God, try to find the fingerprint of the creator. Once everyone has their stick, remove bark from the wood to create your own speckled and streaked rods. (We used a razor, younger children can paint the sticks or wrap them with thick cloth) As you remove the bark, talk about the life that once ran through the tree’s discarded limb. The roots of the tree seek out the water they might push over 200 feet through desert soils. The roots pull this water from the earth and distribute it throughout the entire tree. If the limb is broken and the flow of water is stopped, the tree still protects the remaining healthy limbs, but the broken or weak limbs can be thinned out. Remind them there will be a tree in heaven that will never be thinned. This tree will grow over the river of life and will produce a new fruit each month (Revelation 22:1-2). Try to imagine what this might look like.
Tip
In the Namibia desert, there is a tree given the name “The Shepherds Tree,” the benefits of this tree go far beyond cool shade for shepherds watching their flock. The roots of this tree have been measured to be as deep down as 230 feet.
Do something creative
For the craft this week, you might need to lay down an old sheet or painting tarps, depending on how far the paint splash might go. We just laid down some newspaper. With the canvas, lightly paint a dark background or a background that fades from one color to another. Take the old toothbrush and dip the bristles in white paint. Hold the brush over your canvas and move your fingernail down the toothbrush. This should cause a splattering over the canvas. On the dark background, the splatter can be made to look like stars. If you chose a different color pallet, try to use your imagination to create an image that fits. Start at 3:12 for ideas on creating a new starry night painting. Once you are done, talk about how even though the spots and streaks were random and created in chaos, you were able to make something so much better. God is creating something beautiful in your life, even though you are spotted and speckled.
What you will need:
- Canvas for everyone or a large one for the family
- Various acrylic paints
- Paint brushes (have one that is wide to help cover the canvas quickly)
- Old tooth brushes/makeup brushes
- Old newspaper/sheets to laydown
Family worship idea
For family worship, you will need a whiteboard/dry erase board and markers to go with it. As you are reading through Genesis 30: 25- Genesis 31, have the family write down all the things in the world that are not from God. Once you have read through the story, have the children erase each word/drawing from the whiteboard. You can talk about each erased item and remind them what God’s counterpart is to it. Once you have gone through each item, the board should be white. This is like our life; there are marks all over us that we can not see. Yet because of the blood of Jesus, one day we will be white as snow. Belief in the Father will cause us to be like a shining star. Though Jacob was blessed by God, he felt aversion from his in-laws. Once Jacob was on his way to the promised land, God had kept Laban from harming him. Jacob could have stayed where he was comfortable, but he longed to make the long journey home. One day we too will start our journey home, but it will be as a moment because our heart will travel with joy and excitement and relief.
Personal thoughts
This story is full of so many important lessons, but I was consumed with a small concept found early on in the story. Jacob laid claim to the speckled and spotted sheep (Luke 5:32, Mark 2:17). He separated the animals and put three days journey between Laban’s solid color sheep and goats and his streaked and spotted herds. There will come a time when Jesus, too, separates His people from the world (Matthew 25: 31-46, Matthew 3:12, Matthew 13:24-30). He will gather us all together, and in a moment (in the twinkling of an eye), He will lift us up (1 Corinthians 15:52). He passes through the people keeping an eye out for those who have painted the blood over the doorpost (Exodus 12:13-28). Just as Jacob passed through the flock examining the herd for spots and streaks, our shepherd is searching us for a contrite heart (2 Chronicles 16:9, Isaiah 57: 15 & 66:2, Psalm 51:17). He will take the broken, humble hearts and make them whole He will cause them to be as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18, Psalms 51:7). Jesus takes our spots away and places them on Him (Zechariah 3:3-4) so that none would perish. We no longer belong to the prince of this world; we have been bought and paid for with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). Our life is not our own but belongs to Christ. Jesus chose the spotted; He did not come for the righteous (Luke 5:32). If we know we can overcome sin on our own merit, the Holy Spirit can’t do the work God sent them to do. It is good to be a nice person, but we must always remember that all have sinned, all have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). This doesn’t mean we activate Jesus’ life-giving power by sinning; it means from conception (Psalm 51:5), our heart’s desire is for self (Jeremiah 17:9). We will know believers by their actions (Matthew 7:15-20). Believers who are of the world and can’t see their need for a savior can be counted among those who are part of the world (Matthew 7:21-23). Even among the Israelites journeying to the promised land, there were two and a half tribes that chose not to enter the land. God came to cover our sin; it is our choice to allow Him to wash us. It is our choice to buy from Him what He is freely giving.
Hiding His word in you ❤
‘“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says the Lord: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ‘
Isaiah 1: 18
Sabbath Catalyst 