Sunday 15 November, 2015

29 One day Jacob was cooking some stew. Esau came in from the open country. He was very hungry. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick! I’m very hungry! Let me have some of that red stew!” That’s why he was also named Edom. 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me the rights that belong to you as the oldest son in the family.” 32 “Look, I’m dying of hunger,” Esau said. “What good are those rights to me?” 33 But Jacob said, “First promise to sell me your rights.” So Esau promised to do it. He sold Jacob all the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. Esau ate and drank. Then he got up and left. So Esau didn’t value the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son.

The rivalry between these twin brothers began before birth (Gen 25:21-23) .. now we have this rivalry played out as adult men. Esau, verbally with an oath, trades away the physical & spiritual birth-rights he has as the first born for a meal. Satisfying his physical needs & disregarding the spiritual implications.

I’m reminded of the temptations of Jesus by the devil (Lk 4).  Jesus was tempted to trade away His birth-right as the Son of God for things of this physical world. Unlike Esau, Jesus looked beyond his physical needs & kept his eyes firmly on God the Father & His ultimate spiritual plan.

I know that there have been many times where I have given into my physical desires & not kept my eyes firmly on God & His purposes for my life, but I am eternally grateful that Jesus did not.

Jesus thank you that you kept your resolve, kept your eyes on the Father & His word & your ultimate sacrifice on the cross for me. Lord, help me to have that same resolve and not to trade away your purposes for my life.
Written by Suzie Hodgson