" Spiritual Shortsightedness"

The Birth of Esau and Jacob


19Isaac was the son of Abraham, 20and he was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel. She was also the sister of Laban, the Aramean from northern Syria. [a] Almost twenty years later, 21Rebekah still had no children. So Isaac asked the LORD to let her have a child, and the LORD answered his prayer. 22Before Rebekah gave birth, she knew she was going to have twins, because she could feel them inside her, fighting each other. She thought, "Why is this happening to me?" Finally, she asked the LORD why her twins were fighting, 23and he told her:  "Your two sons will become two separate nations. [b] The younger of the two will be stronger, and the older son will be his servant."  24When Rebekah gave birth, 25the first baby was covered with red hair, so he was named Esau. [c] 26The second baby grabbed on to his brother's heel, so they named him Jacob. [d] Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

Esau Sells His Rights as the First-Born Son

27As Jacob and Esau grew older, Esau liked the outdoors and became a good hunter, while Jacob settled down and became a shepherd. 28Esau would take the meat of wild animals to his father Isaac, and so Isaac loved him more, but Jacob was his mother's favorite son.  29One day, Jacob was cooking some stew, when Esau came home hungry 30and said, "I'm starving to death! Give me some of that red stew right now!" That's how Esau got the name "Edom." [e] 31Jacob replied, "Sell me your rights as the first-born son." [f] 32"I'm about to die," Esau answered. "What good will those rights do me?"  33But Jacob said, "Promise me your birthrights, here and now!" And that's what Esau did. 34Jacob then gave Esau some bread and some of the bean stew, and when Esau had finished eating and drinking, he just got up and left, showing how little he thought of his rights as the first-born.  Gen. 25: 19-34 (CEV)


Question?


Do you ever feel as though you are missing out on God’s rich blessings? Certainly hardship is a part of life, and we can’t have everything we ask to receive. But if we act foolishly, we might also miss out on some of the good things the Lord has in mind to give us.

That is exactly what happened with Esau in today’s passage. He was famished when he returned from a hunting trip. His brother Jacob offered a bowl of soup in exchange for Esau’s birthright. And the trade was accepted. Doesn’t it seem foolish that this older brother would make such a swap? Yet we, too, can give up what is excellent for temporary satisfaction, if we’re not careful—that is, if we are spiritually shortsighted.

A person acting in this way exhibits certain characteristics. For one thing, he makes decisions based on today, without considering tomorrow’s consequences. Next, he is blind to life’s essential values, giving higher priority to his appetites and emotions than to the Lord. In addition, he’s willing to sacrifice what is lasting for something that brings only fleeting satisfaction. Similarly, he focuses on things that are temporal and not eternal. Finally, he makes decisions in times of physical, emotional, or spiritual weakness.

At the time, it may seem desirable to base a decision upon an immediate want. But are you willing to pay the price for that kind of shortsightedness? It will never satisfy your heart. Instead, rely on God’s Word for truth, and let His Spirit guide you in making every choice.


Be Blessed & Be a Blessing to One another!
 
Dawn