“For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Hebrews 12:17).
TEXT — Hebrews 12:14-17
Message
One of the most monumental and regrettable losses recorded in history is the sinking of the Titanic. The awe-inspiring passenger liner that was described as unsinkable, considering the engineering ingenuity that went into its making, sank on its maiden voyage from England to the United States in 1912. Perhaps because of their confidence in the ship’s capabilities, one night, the crew ignored the warnings of icebergs that lay in their path until it hit a glacier, which resulted in its sinking and killing of thousands.
Imagine the degree of regret the Titanic crew would have wallowed through all their lives if they managed to get out of that wreckage. Such was the case of Esau who sold his birthright and lived to regret that momentary decision the rest of his life. Believers are specifically called to “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. We are also warned about “any root of bitterness” – any corrupting influence capable of causing disaffection or backsliding.
Any act of immorality among Christians is here compared to Esau’s terrible decision in the sense that it amounts to profanity to despise the great prospects of eternal life and Kingdom privileges because of a momentary satisfaction. Esau considered his hunger so compelling that he did not think of the far-reaching implications of forfeiting his birthright for a morsel of meal. This action tormented not just him but also his posterity.
We know that “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning…” (Romans 15:4) to keep us on the path of carefulness, prayerfulness and dependence on the grace of God. We must price our heritage in Christ far too much to be messed up with short- lived sinful gratifications.
Thought for the day
To trade your future joys for today’s toys is foolhardy.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
Good to join this.