Sunday Pastor Stan gave a message at church that to this day I'm still thinking about. That's when you know it's a good one. Do you remember the story of Jacob and Esau? Esau gave away his birthright for a bowl of stew?
WHAT! First of all I didn't recall that and I didn't really grasp the significance of what went down. Jacob was the little brother. He was more nurturing...liked to cook and be a homebody. Esau was an outdoors man and hunted. Esau came in starving after being gone a couple of days and NEEDED to eat in a bad way. This is where the story gets interesting. Jacob being the stinker little brother said okay you can have the stew IF you give me your birthright. WHOA! Way to barter there little brother.
A birthright was HUGE in that culture. It gave the wealth of the family to the oldest. And in this case Esau wouldn't have to worry about funds for the rest of his life. It also gave ultimate power and position. Every important family matter and decision would be decided by him alone. It was major!!! But because Esau was so focused on his hunger, and his appetite was so blown out of proportion he couldn't think clearly and gave away his most important prize position ever...His future!
31Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
32“Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
33But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
34Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:31-34
It changed history. The future scripture became...
14God said to Moses, “I am who I am.c This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
15God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,d the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’
“This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.
It doesn't say God of Esau...it says JACOB!!!! He had no idea what God had planned for his future. So he gambled with his life and gave away everything in his weakness.
Pastor Stan talked about appetites and that God created them and that sin distorted them. Whether it be the need for achievement, food, to be loved etc...we all have appetites. We need to learn to manage them and pray for wisdom. Then he asked this question at the end.
What's your bowl of stew?
What's keeping you from fulfilling God's plan for your life? Is it laziness?? Is it distraction? Is it the hunger for temporary earthly things?? What is keeping us from our legacy? Because we ALL have one! Every one of us has something great to contribute. Something great TO DO! I know I don't want mess that up. I want Him to use me...every gift, every talent, every ounce of me for His purpose and plan. Life is so very short. Eternity is forever. Something to chew on...
Be a blessing.
joy written on her face
my patient honey who loves me so very well
cool projects come to pass
our first snow
