"Bean" There - Done That – Genesis 25:29-34

29 One day Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, starved. 

30 Esau said to Jacob, "Give me some of that red stew - I'm starved!"  That's how he came to be called Edom (Red). 

31 Jacob said, "Make me a trade: my stew for your rights as the firstborn."  

32 Esau said, "I'm starving!  What good is a birthright if I'm dead?"  

33 Jacob said, "First, swear to me."  And he did it.  On oath Esau traded away his rights as the firstborn.  

34 Jacob gave him bread and the stew of lentils.  He ate and drank, got up and left.  That's how Esau shrugged off his rights as the firstborn.

– Genesis 25:29-34

"Bean" There - Done That

In this story, we see that Esau came in from the field "starved" but I would venture to say he was starved much in the same way we would come in from a hard days' work - not really starved, but really hungry.  I  don't think he was to the point of death, even though he claimed to be.  It's just that the stew smelled so good and he wanted some (Esau was used to getting his way).  He was so insistent in getting what he wanted that he gave away his birthright – for a bowl of beans – just to satisfy his flesh.  The Word says that Esau ate and drank then got up and left.  I bet he let out a loud obnoxious belch as he walked out the door.

Have you ever wanted something in the moment and were willing to trade something valuable to get it?  No?  I would venture to say that if we're not careful, we can compromise who we are in Christ almost every day. No, I'm not talking about the big things (like birthrights), but how about things like honesty, purity, righteousness, integrity?

It could be something as simple as breaking the speed limit (but I'm late to church), or maybe spending a little too much time on facebook during working hours (but I need to keep up with what's going on), or how about watching a move you really shouldn't be watching (but "racy" pictures and foul language are just a part of life nowadays).  We could come up with all kinds of excuses, but each time we give in to even the most (seemingly) insignificant "want," or "desire," we are compromising who we are in Christ.

Ask the Lord to reveal the things that satisfy your flesh, and then ask Him to help you to resist the enemy and temptation to satisfy those needs.  Let's claim victory over self indulgence this week and present ourselves as holy to our Lord.  Let's show Him that as His children, we aren't spoiled little brats but mature warriors, ready to stand victorious over the offerings of the enemy.  We will see our walks go to new heights, and this world that we live in might just be changed as we set examples of what it really means to live as Christians.

Prayer
Father, please show me those triggers that set off my need for self gratification.  I know that I seek my own will far too often and I need Your help to claim victory over that part of my life.  I want to serve You and to only do Your will.  I want to be so in tune with Your design for my life, that anything and everything that I might seek to satisfy "me" would no longer be desirable, but that Your Word and Your Heart would be my sole desire.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard