So, I'm not sure what to write about here. But I feel the need to write so bear with me as this unravels. We've been looking at Jacob and Esau and how Esau traded his birthright for immediate gratification rather than longterm benefit. We can also fall into doing this and I definitely think there is a warning here. Here were some thoughts I had on this...
1 - Do not settle for second best in pressured times and risk losing everything
2 - Consider the consequences and the long term
3 - Do not give in to the pressure of the short-term distraction - God is our sustainer - look at the bigger picture
4 - Can these situations be avoided in the first place i.e. yes, Esau was famished from working out in the fields and let his hunger be his priority - so much so that he gave away his birthright, however could this have been avoided? Could he have been sensible and eaten earlier? Yes some situations are unavoidable, but can some be prevented in the first place by being more cautious, taking extra care or by forward thinking?
5 - Are you in a good and strong enough place in your relationship with God to stand up under pressured situations and not just settle for short-term satisfaction?
So, moving on from here, in Genesis 27v41 we see that 'Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him'. Well duh Esau, you gave away your birthright in the first place! What did you expect? I couldn't help but feel sorry for Esau having been under pressure and making a silly mistake that cost him so much. But at the same time I also felt a bit unsympathetic towards him seeing how he had just given his inheritance away so freely. Sometimes we do make bad choices. Sometimes there are reasons for this such as being under pressure, other times we just give into temptation. So what happens when a while later we find ourselves reaping the consequences? Here are some ideas...
1 - Unlike Esau I really think we need to work through those 'grudges' against people. Bitterness can take root and be hugely damaging so we need to ask for forgiveness and let God work in us through this.
2 - If we have made a bad decision, we may need to ask God for forgiveness for this also. It may not make the situation change automatically but if we have been wrong, not asking for forgiveness may prevent us from moving on, living in fullness or accepting certain situations.
3 - Instead of looking at what we don't have, look at what we do have. Without going into detail, part of my move to Watford was a bad decision. Part of it was unavoidable, but part of it was definitely a bad decision. The consequences can be hard. I get very lonely and homesick at times. I get angry at having to live so far away from family and friends and frustrated at my decisions. However at the same time, I've made amazing new friends, found amazing family at WCC, grown in character and strength, done things I would never have had the chance to do and made a difference down here, not to mention succeeded in my career and finally got my head around the London underground! Yes, you may have made bad decisions but I guarantee none of them are too bad for God to work in. Perhaps a change of perspective may be in order to be thankful for what you do have, rather than dwell on the past and on what you don't have.
4 - Finally, I believe in a great, big God who is bigger than the worst decision we can make, who is the Author and Perfector of our faith (Heb12:2), who's arm is long enough to reach down into the deepest, darkest pit we may have dug out for ourselves ('surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save' Is59:1), and who is able to restore us, bring peace, comfort us and walk with us through every step of life - the good, the bad and the ugly.
So as I 'come in to land' (heeheehee - Tim I know where that came from), I'm sure we have all made bad decisions and have faced consequences at some time or another. Perhaps you are experiencing some of these now. I guess we have a choice to make. Do we let those bad decisions rule the rest of our lives and end up with nothing, or do we give them over to God and ask Him to be with us as we journey through the rest of our lives?
And as a final thought. I LOVE this verse in Genesis 28:15 in which God says to Jacob (who by the way was a liar and a cheat yet became an amazing man of faith and carried on the promise of Abraham, possibly because he chose not to dwell on his failures but rejoice in his future)...
'I am with you, and will watch over you wherever you go... I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you'.
***Thoughts and comments much appreciated - these are a little thin on the ground so PLEASE share your ideas...***
No comments:
Post a Comment