Tuesday, February 23, 2016

No Place Before God

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

VIDEO


The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. But the two children struggled with each other in her womb.  So she went to ask the Lord about it.  “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.  And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations.  From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals.  One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”    Genesis 25:21b-23(NLT)

Ivan McGuire died at the age of 35.  It wasn't an automobile accident, or terminal illness.  He wasn't murdered, nor did he commit suicide.  McGuire was a sky-diver, who was so excited about an opportunity to film some other skydivers...that he forgot to put on his parachute.  He was a veteran of over 800 jumps, yet he calmly leaped out of an airplane with his camera gear, but no silk![2] 

Esau is the man most likely to follow Ivan McGuire in the "Can't Believe I Did That" department. 

The very first inkling we have of the character of Esau is that he would grow up to be just like his father Isaac; he was a man of wanting, rather than a man of worship.  He was willing to do just about whatever was necessary to satisfy his appetite.  Esau was an outdoorsman, a jock, life-of-the-party type.  And he lived for the "rush" of flirting with the edge.  He was going to squeeze every last bit of excitement and gratification out of this life. 

How did he get this way? 

He followed Dad's, and Grandpa's example.  If you remember, Grandfather Abraham had a sneaky, get-what-I-want, when-I-want-it streak early on.  When the famine hit, Abraham went to Egypt and lied about his wife, calling her his sister, in order to keep safe.  Isaac pulled the same thing he'd learned from Abraham (see Genesis 26:7). 

Esau knew how to manipulate to get what he wanted.  It's called "situation ethics".  You do what you have to do in order to make things come out okay.  The only problem is that it is shortsighted, because that is the way humans play God. 

Esau didn't hate God; it's just that he was too busy to be bothered with Him.  The writer of Hebrews called Esau a profane person.  That doesn't mean had a vulgar mouth, swearing and using the Lord’s name shamefully.  Profane literally means that he had no holy place.  "Pro" is translated as "in front of"; and "fane" means temple.  Esau had no life within the temple.  He was unrestrained, outside of the will and submission to God. 

There is a strange echo in that of the Book of Revelation, where it describes the character of those who will be outside of the New Jerusalem. 

This is what it means to be lost. 

Gracie and Wellie are our four-legged children; they love to eat what we eat.  They are very pushy about it all!  They'll get right up in your face for a lick of your ice cream.  (They get none from me!)  They love to go for walks with us, share our food, and snooze over the air-conditioning vent when we relax in front of the TV. 

But when I take out my Bible and read, or pray, or begin to seek God's face on some issue, these otherwise intelligent fur babies have no interest.  Both will sniff the air and walk off to find a bug to chase. 

Esau was like that....no time or interest for God.  Esau didn't have a care in the world, as long as God didn't call for an accounting. 

For You Today


If you add it all up, do you get all excited about the exciting stuff of life, like jumping out of planes without your parachute?  Or do you have a life solidly rooted in the worship of God?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today…and have a blessed day!


[1] Title Image:  By Bertram of Minden, via Wikimedia Commons

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