It Is That Serious

But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn. [Genesis 26.33-34]

It is easy to look at Esau as a dope in this story and fail to see just how guilty we are of showing contempt for the birthright that is ours as born-again children of God.

To be clear, Jesus showed mankind what any person who submits to the Holy Spirit doing the works of God in them would look and act like. It is the birthright of every believer - every believer has been given the measure of faith. This is why Jesus was born as a man, baptized as a man, walked the earth as a man, and died as a man: to secure our birthright to everything that is His by His resurrection.

If we do not follow the example of our Lord Jesus, then we, like Esau show contempt for our birthright. It is that serious.

Father, forgive me for showing contempt for the birthright that is mine because of the work of Jesus on my behalf. Forgive me that I do not do the works He did. Forgive me that I do not do even greater works because He is there now with You.