In The Blink Of An Eye: Choosing God’s Promise Over The Moment
July 5, 2021
There it is. Did you catch it?
You blinked.
A lot can happen in the blink of an eye. Take Esau, for example, who traded his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of beans. In a single flash of desperation, he gave away the right to his family’s business and fortune. (Genesis 25:29-34 NIV)
What was Esau thinking? He wasn’t. Logic, perspective and delayed gratification all went out the window … er … tent flap. Jacob’s delicious stew steamed in front of him, and it became the shortest path to his satisfaction. So, he snatched up his brother’s offer on the spot.
But this was about far more than just stew. For this family, the birthright represented God’s promise, first spoken to Abraham and Sarah: “I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:2, NIV) The primary job for subsequent generations became protecting the birthright at all costs — because of the promise.
Except Esau despised it. Instead of securing himself in the sure hope of God’s blessing, he turned it over for chili and a crust of bread.
On the surface, a decision between the endless blessing of a loving God and a happy meal is a no-brainer. But the truth is, Esau’s rebellion is deeply lodged within each of us. It takes only a blink of an eye to pin our satisfaction to whatever happens to be in front of us at the moment.
The only hope for the headstrong and impetuous is Jesus.
Instead of taking the shortest path to His satisfaction, Jesus “endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, NIV) Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith who leads us away from our impulses to ditch God for the next rabbit trail that tickles our fancy.
Those shiny trinkets that used to dupe us out of true treasure no longer work. Instead, we simply fix our gaze on Jesus.
It only takes a blink.
