A Forsaken Birthright

"Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"…So he swore an oath…selling his birthright to Jacob…So Esau despised his birthright.” Genesis 25:32-34 (NIV)

In ancient times, the birthright was granted to the oldest son and included all of the family inheritance rights. In Esau’s case, he stood to inherit the covenant promises of Israel granted by God through Abraham and Isaac. But, Esau was so famished; he sacrificed his birthright for a bowl of stew saying, “What good is the birthright to me (if I am dead)?” He chose immediate self-gratification over the promise of a secure future.

This passage came to life for me as I traveled east to visit my family a few years ago. I prayed for opportunities to share Christ with them because as they are enduring extremely difficult times, a relationship with a loving and faithful God is what they need. Rather than being receptive to God’s love, they angrily refuted…asking, “What good is that to me?” As I struggled to love my family in a ‘love-deficient’ environment, I realized that they desired instant solutions to their problems, not the promise of an eternal future. They despised their birthright…the covenant love relationship offered to them through the death of Jesus Christ.

As I was flying home, I picked up my Bible and read in Luke 14:26, Anyone who wants to be my follower must love me far more than he does his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters... (TLB) As my family demonstrated hostility over spiritual things, my concern for the condition of their souls caused my focus to shift from God’s plan for salvation to my plan for their salvation. As much as I love my family and wish to see them come to a saving relationship with Christ, I must love God more, always trusting in His sovereign plan.

We are called to share Christ in a hateful and angry world. Not everyone will respond to the message of a loving and faithful God. Many choose to sacrifice his or her birthright for a life of self-gratification. Sadly, our faith in Christ often creates a divide between us and those we love and desire to reach most. Jesus himself experienced this when he was rejected in his own hometown of Nazareth. We must not be deterred by their lack of interest, but continue to share with them through our demonstration of love…not only by loving them, but by loving Christ…first!

Prayer Focus:
All over the world there are people whose life circumstances stand in the way of their willingness to open their hearts to the LORD. Pray that God will soften their hearts to the message of salvation through a relationship with Christ and they would begin to trust in God’s Sovereign plan for their lives.

©2009 by Stephanie French. All rights reserved.