Devotion
A brother scorned
David Jacobs
I have an older brother and a younger sister and we always got along well. My parents made sure that we were healthily competitive but above all, supportive of each other. I have leaned on my brother and sister at different times for support, and they have never spurned me of been unwilling to aid me. Luckily for us, our parents shared their love equally, and we never thought that one of us was the favorite of either our mother or father, so jealousy was not a part of our household growing up.
The same cannot be said of the family of Isaac and Rebekah. Their sons, Esau and Jacob, are twins but seem to be near opposites of one another: Esau is a cunning and skilled hunter, a big, strong, hairy, and profane man. Jacob on the other hand is a sensitive, passive, obedient, devout, and loyal man, more accustomed to farming than with hunting. Isaac preferred the manly qualities of Esau while his wife, Rebekah, preferred the caring nature of Jacob. Not having his father's blessing and birthright became an obsession for Jacob, making Esau swear his birthright to him when he was hungry after returning home one day, and in these verses, tricking his blind father into giving Jacob, posing as Esau, his blessing.
Jacob goes to great lengths in order to secure a more stable future for himself, scorning his brother in the process. Esau, realizing that he has sworn his birthright to Jacob and that his father has mistakenly believed that Jacob was Esau and given him his blessing, has lost all hope. Similar to how Jacob was obsessed with gaining the birthright and blessing, Esau becomes obsessed with losing it, pledging that he will one day kill his brother. These verses make me so sad, because I consider my own family. Siblings should be able to rely on each other, not plot to dupe and murder one another! Think about your own family and siblings: have you been on their side or on your own? In some cases it can be a matter of life and death.
Prayer
Reach out to a sibling or friend and tell them that you will be there for them if they need. These words are usually assumed but rarely said, and verbalizing them can make a big difference in mending wounded relationships.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
Morning Prayer
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Inspiration
We have a responsibility, as Christians, to abstain from the sinful practices we partook in before we became saved. While it may be a gradual process of change, we should ensure that we are putting in our best to play our part in resisting temptation. God enables us to resist temptation, but it is up to us to actually resist.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that I will always be a person of action. Father, I take delight in my new life in you and I do not desire otherwise. I pray that in times of temptation, may I act on the strength you have given me to flee and/or resist. May I never rely on excuses or procrastination, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Night Prayer
Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Inspiration
We have chosen to surrender our lives and serve the Lord. We serve Him by witnessing, completing missionary projects, and ministering to those in need. There is always work to do and a world full of people to help. We will look for opportunities to provide for our brothers and sisters in Christ by any means necessary. We are servants to one another as a service to the Lord; He will never forsake us.
Prayer
Dear God, Help us see the world through Your eyes. We desire to serve those around us by reflecting Your love through our actions. You will never forsake us, and we will continually lift praises of thanksgiving to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
