A SAD EXAMPLE OF PRIORITIES

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ISAAC AND ESAU

Read Genesis 25:19–28:9
    Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.    Genesis 25:28 NIV

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     Isaac, as an old man, was tricked by his son Jacob into giving him the firstborn blessing. His older son, Esau threatened to kill Jacob after Isaac died; so Rebekah told Jacob to flee until Esau's temper cooled.

     To Isaac she said, "I'm disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, my life will not be worth living." (Genesis 27:46)  So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman. Go at once to Paddan Aram. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother." (28:2)

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     It is interesting to note that Isaac had never indicated his disapproval of his oldest son's marriages, or suggested that God might have a godly Hebrew bride for Esau.

     So Esau, who wanted to please his father, married the daughter of Ishmael, in addition to the wives he already had.  How sad that Isaac, whose wife had been chosen by God, did not instruct his son in how to choose a godly wife. Today, this story could read: “Isaac who loved sports, favored his athletic son, but neglected to teach him how to make godly choices.”

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     Lord, help us to faithfully teach our children to seek Your will in making important decisions.

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     Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac…so he married Mahalath, daughter of Ishmael…In addition to the wives he already had.   Genesis 28:8-9 NIV

THE LORD LED ME...

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ISAAC AND REBEKAH

Read Genesis 24

     “… (if) she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too' – let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder.    Genesis 24:14-15 NIV

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     Abraham wanted to find just the right wife for his son Isaac, someone from his own people, not from the Canaanites among whom he lived. So he sent his most trusted servant on a journey to his home country. Both Abraham and his chief servant believed that God would lead him to the right young woman. Abraham said, "The LORD, the God of heaven…who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land–He will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there."    (Genesis 24:7)

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     It is so important to pray for our children’s future spouses. What better time to start than now, while they are young, covering that child and his parents in prayer throughout their lives.

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     Lord, help us to teach our children to seek Your wisdom in every small or large decision. You know the future and You have a plan for each one of them. Help them as they step out into life to make choices according to Your perfect will.

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     Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, saying …“As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey”   Gen 24:26-27 NIV

OBEDIENCE AND PRIORITIES

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ABRAHAM AND ISAAC


Read Genesis 22

     And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide Himself a Lamb” (Genesis 22:8 KJV)

     "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29 NKJV)

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       After waiting so long for his promised son, Isaac, Abraham was asked to give him back as a sacrifice. This request had no basis in anything God had done with His people. False gods required human sacrifices, not Abraham's God.

     The author of Hebrews gives us some insight into Abraham’s response: "Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death." (Hebrews 11:19)   But still he was required to go through this test to show that God was first in his life–even before his beloved son.

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     Sometimes God brings us to a place in our lives when we must make a choice about something or someone He has blessed us with. Is there anything in my life that has become more important than my relationship with Him?

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     Lord, I pray that I will always put You first in my life. Not first as in being at the top of a priority list, but first in regard to everything on that list. I cannot have a right relationship with anyone else if I am not right with You. Thank You for providing Your Son, the Lamb of God, to make that relationship possible.

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     "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life "    John 3:16 NKJV 

A COMPROMISED TESTIMONY

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LOT

Read Genesis 18:16–19:38
     So Lot went out and spoke to his sons‑in‑law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!" But his sons‑in‑law thought he was joking.    Genesis 19:14 NIV

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     Lot’s story is in direct contrast to the story of Noah and the flood. Noah’s sons and their wives respected him and followed him in obedience to God, joining him on the ark. Lot’s sons‑in‑law thought he was joking when he warned them of coming judgement on Sodom. 

     Lot’s testimony was so compromised that his daughters tricked him into fathering their children, resulting in two wicked nations called the Moabites and Ammonites. Yet, in spite of this, Peter later tells us that Lot was a believer: a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard.) (2 Peter 2:7-8)

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     Lord, help us to carefully choose the environment in which we place our families. Help us to see beyond the beauty of the land or the monetary gain to make sure there is not a wicked “Sodom” nearby. Help us to train up our children by our own example and to teach them to pass down their faith to the next generation.

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     "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just ..."   Genesis 18:19a NIV