When things go wrong, temptation is fierce or life hurts, there is one thing we can cling to with confident hope: the promises of God. When Jacob’s servant reported that Esau was on his way to meet him, Jacob trembled with fear. The memory of his sinful past came upon him like the relapse of a disease.

Esau was the brother whom Jacob manipulated into giving up his birthright (Gen 25) and stole his blessing (Gen 27). And now he must pay the consequences. To make things work, Esau had 400 men with him. Jacob was a caravan of women children and servants, not a very mobile company nor one that could easily defend itself from an army of 400 warriors. No wonder the text says that Jacob was, "greatly afraid and distressed" (Gen 32:7).

True to his heel-grabbing nature, Jacob sent two companies ahead of him with gifts and greetings (Gen 32:7), hoping to defuse any remaining anger Esau might have before he met Jacob face to face. But then Jacob does something very unusual for Jacob. He prays. This is the first time Scripture records Jacob praying to God without some initial divine intervention on God's part. Up to this point in Jacob's life, God had spoken or appeared to him in some form a least three times (Gen 28:12-15; 31:3, 11-13; 32:1), but Jacob had done little to seek contact with God on his own initiative. Even Jacob’s vow to God in chapter 28 was only in response to the awesome dream God gave him.

But just like heresy prods men of God to study the Scriptures and defend them better, so trials prod God's children to seek Him in prayer. For the first time in his life, Jacob the manipulator feels helpless. Deception and conniving won't deliver him from trouble this time. And so he turns to his last resort—the very thing he should have done first—and he prays.

We scratch our heads wondering what moved God to love Jacob and but hate Esau (Rom 9:13). But all too often we act like Jacobs ourselves. When all other solutions had been exhausted, we finally pray to God, as if it was some last minute, desperate attempt that might make things right.

But regardless of the bad timing of his prayer, his prayer is a classic to learn from.

O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, “Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,” I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff only I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children. For You said, “I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered” (Gen 32:9-12).

As I meditated on this prayer, three principles struck me, principles that should saturate our prayers.

1st principle: Jacob calls upon God's promises.

Instead of rushing into his immediate request, Jacob addresses God as the "God of my father Abraham and...Isaac." Why would he bring granddaddy and daddy into the picture? Because God promised both Abraham and Isaac that He would bless them and their descendants. Jacob knew that simply dropping those names into God’s ears would remind Him of His unbreakable covenant, and consequently ensure Jacob of deliverance. Jacob also reminds God that it was God who commanded Jacob to go back home so that He could bless him, and that's exactly what Jacob was doing. Jacob knew that obedience brings blessing, but now in the face of possible death, Jacob needed God's faithfulness like never before.

But Jacob does not only open his prayer with a call upon God's promises but closes the same way, "For You said, 'I will surely prosper you and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which is too great to be numbered'" (vs 12). I can almost hear it now, "You said it, God. You said it, I didn't! You promised to prosper me and multiply my seed so I'm depending on that promise to deliver me from my dangerous brother."

Next time you face a temptation of Herculean strength, a disappointment that shrouds you in depression or a relationship that goes acidic, turn to God and claim His promises. Remind God what He said He would do and ask God to come through on His Word. God cannot lie, therefore we have a sure-fire guarantee that He will follow through on what He said. Spiritual growth (James 1:2-4), no temptation to strong to resist (1 Cor 10:13), good as the ultimate outcome in every situation (Rom 8:28), these are just a handful out of multitudes of blessing God has guaranteed in His Word. And this means you can expect His answer to be, "Yes! I will do as you requested!" for if He failed to do so He'd be a liar and unfaithful, and that is impossible.

2nd principle: Jacob admits He is unworthy.

Jacob's unworthiness may be overtly obvious to anyone familiar with Jacob's deceptive dealings, but we easily forget we land in the same category. Jacob prays, "I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant." Jacob basically says, "I don't deserve it, God. I didn't do a thing to earn your blessings, but you brought them in like torrential storm." Twenty years before Jacob left his parents' home and crossed this Jordan River with nothing but a staff. But now he returned with flocks, servants, wives and children—a very wealthy man.

Every time we face our unworthiness we put ourselves in the proper place before God. He is the gracious Giver. We are the unworthy receivers. By this admission, Jacob admitted that he did not deserve God's deliverance, but that at the same time God was fully capable of giving it. God never turns a cold shoulder to the broken and contrite heart (Ps 51:17). He is close to the lowly and the broken (Is 57:15).

3rd principle: Jacob asks for help and admits he's scared.

"Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, that he will come and attack me and the mothers with the children" (vs 11). Reduced to a sinner showered in mercy but mired in big trouble, Jacob's prayer comes forth with simplicity and openness. Instead of saturating his prayer with a universe of flowery language and profound vocabulary, he states his need and admits his fears.

God is not impressed with prayers that sound like a theological treatise or an article that would get cited in doctrinal dissertations. As your Father and Friend you can go to Him with the simple request and total transparency. Something that has always stood out to me is the simplicity of the Lord's prayer (Luke 11:1-4), a prayer recited and quoted in local churches more than any other. The Lord's prayer does not waste time, but gets to the meat of the issue and states it with clarity. 

It's almost nauseating when believers pray for five minutes before getting to their point. It's as if they are afraid to cut to the chase too quickly lest their prayer sounds elementary. But God is not impressed with many words (Matt 6:7). He just wants your heart. He wants you to run to Him like a child with an "owie" runs to his mother for a Band-Aid. When fear destroys your sleep or worries threaten to coat your stomach lining with ulcers, remember Paul's exhortation to, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philipp 4:6). Let God know your requests. Be honest and open. Tell God the problem and then enjoy the result when, “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philipp 4:7).