“And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety, and hath taken away thy blessing” (Genesis 27:34-35).
Jacob and Esau’s conflicts began in the womb. Esau fought his way out first but he didn’t end up having the birthright. He sold it to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Of course the fact Jacob was his Mom’s favorite didn’t help make matters better between her two sons. There had been much deception in Jacob receiving Isaac’s blessing. Isaac trembled when he learned he had been deceived, but confirmed that the blessing would be upon Jacob. Esau, in spite of his pleading, received what was called a common blessing. He had somehow forgotten how little he had regarded his birthright. If you think this didn’t affect Esau, you would be mistaken. First, he cried, then he became angry. He wanted to kill his brother, so Jacob had to be on the run for a while for his own safety. You might wonder where God was in all this conflict. He had to overrule all the bad actions in Genesis 27 to ultimately fulfill His purpose. However, it wasn’t without consequences for both of these men.
It’s a reality that in families, especially large ones, there will be conflicts. There will be those who think Mom loves one more than the other. There will be arguments, jealousy, and, at times, desire for revenge. However, is this the picture of a Christian home where God dwells? Definitely not. Satan knows by now he cannot destroy the church, so, he is working overtime to try to destroy homes. We must be on guard s0 he will not destroy ours. Work hard to promote harmony in the home, so the things mentioned above can be resolved in a peaceful way.
Esau finally let go of his hatred of Jacob. However, both faced much adversity to come to a reconciliation. Don’t let animosity destroy those within your families. Your story might not have a happy ending.
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for peace in your family and in families within your congregation. Pray especially for family members who are estranged or not on speaking terms with others.
