Follow His Plan

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

FOLLOW HIS PLAN

Gen 25:27-34

27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.) 31 Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." 32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" 33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.

NIV

This narrative presents two truths, or two identities, in Esau and Jacob. Esau is shown as a man's man, a skillful hunter, representing the ideal man of the times, a warrior-type man, living in the open country. Jacob is shown as a gentle man, a cook, someone who stays home. We also see a somewhat dysfunctional family: Isaac loved his hunter-class son, while Rebekah loved her gentle, quiet son who learned the homely skills. Yet our story is about Esau's birthright. As the firstborn, he was entitled to inherit all his father's estate. Everything Isaac owned would belong to Esau; as the inheritor, his bloodline would be the family's proper lineage. However, the LORD had other plans, as Jacob was the chosen man through whom Jesus would come into the world. Was it the LORD who caused Esau to despise his birthright, to not care about it, to sell it for a bowl of soup? Jacob is known for his deceitful actions, first toward his brother, then his father, yet this is still the plan of God, so Jacob would be the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Of course, he did not deceive Esau, yet Jacob cherished the birthright. That appears to be the hand of God at work in his heart, so that the LORD's plan would be accomplished. This gives us a clue to life. Sometimes we might think situations that happen in our lives cause us some trouble or hardship. Sometimes we experience good things, but our lives should reflect God's plans for us. We can bring harm upon ourselves by making bad choices without God's counsel. We can bring pleasures upon ourselves, also without God's counsel.  However, if we want to live as God intends, then we better not make a move without first consulting him. This would require ears to hear and eyes to see the way we should go. He directed the paths of both Esau and Jacob to carry out his plan and purpose. He will direct our path for his plan and purpose; we only need to follow his plan. We remember a television program years ago, "Father Knows Best," but now we know our Heavenly Father always knows what is best. We just need to follow his plan.