Topic: VALUE YOUR BIRTHRIGHT  [Church of God Mission International] Above Only Daily Devotional 11 January 2022

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ABOVE ONLY DEVOTIONAL

BY: ARCHBISHOP M. E. BENSON IDAHOSA

*TUESDAY JANUARY, 11, 2022

VALUE YOUR BIRTHRIGHT

Genesis 25:31-34 (LB) Jacob (said): “All right, trade me your birthright for it!” Esau (said): “When a man is dying of starvation, what good is his birthright?” Jacob (said): “Well then, vow to God that it is mine!” And Esau vowed, thereby selling all his eldest-son rights to his younger brother. Then Jacob gave Esau bread, peas, and stew; so he ate and drank and went on about his business, indifferent to the loss of the rights he had thrown away.

One major reason Esau sold his birthright, is because he did not know the great value and prospects of it. This is why when he got into a desperate situation, he was ready to quickly let go of his birthright. Esau did not actually know what he was giving away. By giving away his birthright, what Esau was giving away was the privilege to carry God’s divine promise and be a part of the lineage of Christ. In the Old Testament, God would have been known as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Esau (Esau would have been the one to give birth to the tribes of Israel.)

Also Read: Open Heaven 11 January 2022  –Topic: THE BLESSINGS OF COMMITMENT 

What Esau did not know is that as the eldest son, he had the right to command Jacob his younger brother to give him food when he was hungry. If he really understood the great value of his birthright, instead of giving it away, he could have held onto it and used it to get what he wanted either from Jacob or his mother. Instead of doing this, he allowed the desperate physical situation he was in to make him forget the privileged spiritual position he was occupying.

Now, how does this apply to us as God’s children? We must never allow the fact that we are in a desperate situation to make us forget the great privilege we have to be born of God and the privilege to be members of God’s royal family. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom.8:17). We have a great inheritance (Rev.5:12, Eph.1:18-19) and the same access right that Jesus has to all the blessings, glory and power of God. Don’t exaggerate what you are going through to the point that you forget and downplay all that Christ has done for you and who He has made you. Don’t be an enemy of the Cross and don’t make your belly or appetite your God (Phil.3:18-19). Set your affection on things above. See that challenge as an opportunity to press into the higher life you have in Christ and to stir up your abundant glorious inheritance in Christ.

Prayer:
I thank you Heavenly Father, for the great privilege I have to be your child. Help me never to forget this even in my desperate times.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR READING PLAN
Job 38-39