Birthright

11/08/2006

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                 Focus:  Birthright

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Genesis 25:29-34

            Message of the verses:  “29 When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; 30 and Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.’ Therefore his name was called Edom.  31 But Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’  32 Esau said, ‘Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?’  33 And Jacob said, ‘First swear to me’; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.  34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”

            Here are some of the facts that are know here concerning this birthright of Esau’s:  God had told Rebekah that the older, that is Esau, would serve the younger, Jacob was a schemer, and therefore he was trying to scheme his way into helping out what God has already promised to him.  Here is what Mr. Clarke has to say about birthrights, “Authority and superiority over the rest of the family. 2. A double portion of the paternal inheritance. 3. The peculiar benediction of the father. 4. The priesthood, previous to its establishment in the family of Aaron.”

            It seems that Esau did not care so much about this birthright to sell it for some food when he could have gotten something to eat someplace else.  I would suppose that after he had time to think about it he realized that he made a mistake and thus regretted it for a long time afterwards.

            I think the bottom line here is that of no one was trusting in the Lord to work out His plans for this family, and because of this they seemed to be all somewhat out of step in their lives.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Because of the fact that God is so very much higher than any human being, including myself, that I need to put my complete trust in Him even thought many times things do not work out the way that I want them too.

The Word of God has been challenging to my heart as I read and studied it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  I must say that because of the results of yesterday’s election that I am very upset, and yet I know in my heart that God is in control of all things including this election.  The abortion issue is the one thing that is most upsetting to me and I know that it is heartbreaking to God as well, however again I must trust the Lord for I know that He has a plan for this country, even though it may not be what I want it to be, and He has a plan for all of His children who live here.  There are many wonderful promises in His Word that tell me that He will take care of me and all of His children, not that any of us deserve it.  Last night while being upset about this whole process that seemed to be coming down I was reading from the novel that I have been reading, “Fifth Seal,” and there was a prayer in it that seemed to lift my spirits:  “Blessed are you, O Adonai, who delivers us from evil.  Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day.  In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety, as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Messiah!”  I realize that this prayer was written in the context of Jesus’ first coming, yet that is my hope, and should be the hope of all believers that Jesus will return and take us to be with Him forever.