Late in the story of Jacob, we find him returning home. He has served Laban for years, but now he feels the need to go back to where he started. He gathers his family and his possessions and he tries to slip away. Laban eventually catches up with Jacob, but the departure is already settled. Laban isn't happy about this turn of events, but Jacob is certain that this is the right step to take.
Going home, however, isn't all good. Going home means that Jacob will encounter his brother Esau, the one who had sworn to kill Jacob many years before. As this uncomfortable meeting gets closer and closer, Jacob gets more and more worried about what will happen when he sees Esau. At a certain point, Jacob is told that Esau is coming out to meet him - and that he has four hundred men with him (Genesis 32:6). Their purpose is not explicitly defined, but Jacob seems to interpret Esau's approach in a hostile way.
Terrified, Jacob prays.
Most of Jacob's prayer (Genesis 32:9-12) is focused on reminding God of things that God already knows. First, Jacob reminds God that it was God who told Jacob to go back home. (In other words, "I'm only doing this because you told me to!") Second, Jacob reminds God of all the undeserved blessings that have filled his life. ("When I started out, I had nothing," Jacob says. "But look at me now! And it's all because of your blessing.") Third, Jacob reminds God of promises that cannot possibly come to pass if Jacob is destroyed by Esau. ("Don't forget," Jacob says to God, " what you promised to do with me and with my family.")
My initial thought is that it's probably unnecessary to remind God of anything. God's memory is quite good and he doesn't really need to be reminded. On the other hand, I suspect that Jacob's prayer here is as much for his own good as it is for God. It sounds like Jacob is reminding God of crucial truths - but really Jacob is reminding himself. In saying these important things to God, Jacob is really doing some crucial and necessary self-talk.
God isn't likely to hear Jacob's prayer and suddenly remember things that he has forgotten. Clearly, God does not forget. The change that this prayer brings about is a change in the heart of Jacob. Once he prays his prayer, Jacob sees clearly that God has, in fact, instructed this return home. Jacob sees clearly how God has cared for him and blessed him for years. And Jacob sees clearly that God has, in fact, made promises that he fully intends to bring to completion.
Once again, we understand that, generally speaking, prayer changes us, not God. In his prayer, Jacob brings his heart in line with the heart of God. And in tune with God's heart, Jacob is ready now to take his next steps.
Quite simply, God doesn't do anything different because of Jacob's prayer. But Jacob is completely changed by his prayer.
That, I think, is a good reminder. I spend a lot of time in prayer telling God what he ought to do - or reminding him of things that I'm sure he has forgotten. I suspect that my prayers would be a lot better if I spent more time doing just the opposite: asking God what he wants for me - and reminding myself of things that I have forgotten.
Despite what it looks like, Jacob isn't reminding God of anything. He is simply reciting the story of God at work in his life. And in reciting that story, Jacob is completely changed.