Taking God for Granted?

How crisp, how fresh, how invigorating, is your relationship with God these days?  On the other hand, how often have we treated our relationship with Him with a yawn? 

There is a story in Genesis about a man who was just that indifferent.  He treated his heritage and his responsibility to his family with a yawn.  His name was Esau.  We first read about Esau in Genesis 25, starting in verse 21 (Genesis 25:21-34).  Esau is the twin brother of Jacob.  He is born first, with Jacob literally on his heels.  Jacob comes out of the womb grasping Esau’s heel!  We read that they “struggled” in the womb, but the Hebrew word here is more forceful.  The Hebrew word, rah-tsahts, literally says, they “crushed, they thrust, they jostled one another,” foretelling what their lives, and the lives of their descendants, would be like.

As the story continues, we see how different each brother is: Esau is a hunter, and Jacob, a tent dweller who most likely tends sheep and goats.  The two could hardly have more incompatible vocations.  One day, when Esau comes back from hunting, exhausted and famished, he begs Jacob for some of the stew that Jacob is cooking.  As they probably have been continuing the struggle (jostling) that started in the womb, Jacob seizes the opportunity to gain the upper hand:  He barters the stew for Esau’s birthright.  And the bartered agreement is sealed with an oath!  Now in those days, that birthright was the right of the first-born son to succeed his father in authority and responsibility for the entire family, the entire clan.

This begs questions!  Is Esau really so hungry, so exhausted, that he is not thinking clearly?  That’s possible!  But, what happens next?  After Esau is satisfied, after he is revived and nourished, he just walks away!  Why doesn’t he pause and reflect; “What have I just done to myself?  Is there any way to regain my birthright?”  No!  He just goes on his way.  Esau shows no remorse, no guilt, no shame. He sells his birthright for a bowl of lentils.  He takes his inheritance so lightly that it becomes something to barter.  The Bible, the Text, as the sages would say, says that Esau “despised” his birthright.  He didn’t honor his family.  He didn’t honor God.

Later, in the life of the people of Israel, the prophet Malachi hints to the Esau story as he admonishes Israel.  The Israelites are taking God’s Instructions so lightly that they substitute flawed, blemished animals for ones without blemish in their sacrifices.  And, the priests are allowing it!  The people are treating God’s Commandments, His Instructions concerning redemption and showing Him thankfulness, with such callousness that it’s described as “despising” the altar and “profaning” the offerings. (Malachi 1:1-2:8)   The Israelites are worshipping God with a yawn.  In today’s terms, that kind of indifference is the same as “blowing Him off!”

So how does that relate to us, today?  The writer of Hebrews recalls the Esau incident as a way of reminding us how we are to live, and, the results of callousness, carelessness and indifference. (Hebrews 12:14-17)  After walking through the “Hall of Faithfulness” in Hebrews 11, we are brought to Hebrews 12, “How now shall we live?”  What a journey!  What a target!

Take God for granted?  Serve Him with a yawn?  Blow Him off?  Not a very promising future.  Instead: “Since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; . . ,” Hebrews 12:28.

What’s acceptable?  Nothing less than our best!  Sh’ma!  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might! (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Shalom Uvrakhah*¹ (Peace and Blessing)

*Shah-lohm Oov-rah-khah

¹“kh” is a distinct sound.  Imagine the sound of forcing phlegm from your throat.

Satisfied?

Have you ever asked: Am I satisfied?  Am I satisfied with life?  Am I satisfied with my life?   In the Book of Genesis, we find a narrative about a man who is satisfied with his life.  That man is Abraham.  The narrative tells us, “Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age; an old man and satisfied with life,” Genesis 25:8.  This begs questions:  Why was he satisfied?  How was he satisfied?  To help answer these questions, we must start a little earlier, in Genesis 23:1, the account of the death of Sarah, Abraham's wife.  We must also look at the account of the last years of King David, in 1 Kings 1:1-31.  There's a connection.  We must also dig into a little Hebrew, starting with the Hebrew words for “old age” and “satisfied.”

Abraham is described as dying at a good “old age,”say-vah, and “satisfied,” sah-vay-ah.  The Hebrew word say-vah really means someone with a head of gray hair.  In modern Hebrew there is a word for the feeling that “life is good”, “everything is cool”, “it's awesome”; the word is, sah-bah-bah!  In Abraham's case, “satisfied” is much deeper - much, much deeper than sah-bah-bah.

Contained in the Genesis and 1 Kings narratives is the mention of both Abraham and David coming to a similar point in life – they were both “old, advanced in years,” Genesis 24:1 & 1 Kings 1:1; but, they were each having very different experiences.

Abraham is seeing to it that his family has a permanent place for burial: First Sarah, later, himself and all the patriarchal family.  He is also securing a future as he instructs his chief steward about a wife for his son, Isaac.  He is active in fulfilling God's words about His covenant between Himself and Abraham.  Part of God's covenant was all about Abraham's descendants.

David's experience as he is “old, advanced in years” is more tumultuous. He is facing physical disability and shortly before his death, there is contention for his throne.  His oldest living son, Adonijah (ah-doh-nee-yah), declared himself king.  David must be prompted to immediately have his choice for successor, Solomon, anointed king.  1 Kings 1 continues the narrative of the ensuing turmoil.

It's not said of David that he died sah-vay-ah, “satisfied” like Abraham.  Am I saying David wasn't righteous?  May it never be!  He was a man, “after God's Own Heart,” 1 Samuel 13:14 The sages, the wise men, say they both achieved “old age,” an endearing term, telling us of a life worthy of a crown.  But only Abraham was “satisfied” at the end.  Why?

Did you notice the harmony in the Hebrew in the description of Abraham? - Dying say-vah, at a good “old age”, and sah-vay-ah, “satisfied?”  The play on the two words in Hebrew suggests a deeper meaning than just being “old” and “satisfied”.  The sages suggest say-vah and sah-vay-ah as balance between your physical being and your very soul.  Your life and how you live it.  Or better – Your life and Who you live it for.  

The sages remember Proverbs 16:31, “A gray head (of old age), say-vah, is a crown of glory.”  And how is that obtained, they ask?  “It is achieved by the way of righteousness.”  And from whom can you learn this?  From Abraham; for it is written of him; “ . . . that his descendants keep the way of the LORD, doing righteousness and justice, . . ,” Genesis 18:19.  It was through Abraham, and his life, that his descendants learned the way of righteousness.

We need to look at one more Hebrew word, the Hebrew for path or “way”.  The Hebrew has several words for path or “way.”  But it is ha-deh-rekh¹, the Path, the Way that leads to righteousness: The Path, “The Way,” that leads to Salvation.  The sages say to us, “If you are on “The Path” – If you are on “The Way,” HaDerekh, your place in the world to come (Heaven) will be there!  Keep to HaDerekh!”

The first Believers inJesus, were known as followers of “The Way,” HaDerekh (Acts 22:4, 24:14).  Do you know why?  Jesus, tells us, “I am HaDerekh . . . ,” John 14:6.

So . . . What about you?  What path are you on?  Which “way” do you keep?  There are many paths to follow; there are many ways to go through life.  But, there is only One Path that leads to righteousness.  There is only One Way, that in the end, makes you satisfied with life.

We pray that you are keeping to HaDerekh - The Way of Righteousness – The Way that leads to a Good Place in the World To Come – The Way that leads to Salvation!

Shalom Uvrakhah* (Peace and Blessing)

*Shah-lom Oov-rah-khah

¹“kh” is a distinct sound.  Imagine the sound of forcing phlegm from your throat.