Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob
– Genesis 25:26
As a child, Jacob might not have known the spiritual blessings promised by God to his grandfather and father. No doubt Abraham told Isaac how God appeared to him and blessed him, and then Isaac told Esau and Jacob. As Jacob listened to all the stories, he would have looked at Esau and licked his lips, hoping all the blessings would somehow bypass Esau and become his. He knew the birthright was related to God’s blessing and promise and to the inheritance of his father’s riches. He was excited about the possibility of becoming a great nation and having “seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore” (Gen. 22:17).
This is a picture of us. Though we have consecrated ourselves to the Lord, we are still for ourselves. We need to ask the Lord to grant us a pure heart and to deal with us so that we would no longer be for ourselves. Why are there so many unhealthy things in the church life? Why are there so many factions and divisions among God’s children? Why do people fight for recognition in their Christian service? It is all because of self. May the Lord have mercy and enlighten us.
Adapted from A Sketch of Genesis, by Titus Chu, pages 142-143.
Tomorrow: “A Selfish Schemer (1)”