February 23

Giving Up Our Birthright

 
  "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?'" (Matthew 16:24-26)

  Jesus clearly warned each of His created that we have the power and the capacity to give up that which is eternal and priceless for that which is worthless and temporary. In the extreme case, people have given up their eternal souls in exchange for some fleeting moments of pleasure, fame, or power. For a few years of clinging to the world's finest trash, humans routinely give up that which endures for all eternity. If that were the only price to pay, then the tragedy would not be so devastating.

  But it is not. For in pursuing these temporary, temporal things, they exchange their souls, their eternal destiny, and the love of Christ for an eternity of separation from God in everlasting torment! The words of the Lord Master are thus even more profound as He asks us all what on Earth would anyone exchange for Him and what is so valuable that it would replace His Presence and, ultimately, His redemption? The answer to those questions is never given in today's passage. Nonetheless, it remains rather obvious: nothing can replace God's free gift of eternal life and living this life in His Presence – nothing at all!

  The Word records one of the poorest acts of judgment any human is capable of in Genesis 25:29-34: "When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, 'Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.' Therefore his name was called Edom (red). But Jacob said, 'First sell me your birthright.' Esau said, 'Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?' And Jacob said, 'First swear to me'; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright."

  How did Esau's Creator feel about his poor judgment? God tells us directly in Malachi 1:3, "I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness." God hated Esau because he despised his birthright. Let us not make the error of Esau on this eventide, beloved! Let us not despise what Jesus paid so high a cost for us to enjoy on this very night: His Presence; His wisdom; His tender advice; and His precious love! For Jesus, our Lord Master, is our birthright!