Rejection vs. Forgiveness

Have you ever felt rejected, unloved, or overlooked?  Can you relate with Leah in the Bible?  Here is a woman who was the eldest of two daughters to their father Laban. Your younger sister is very beautiful and you are not.  All the men bypass you and then look to your younger sister. Then on top of that, your own father manipulates an agreement with the groom of that younger sister to marry you.   He does this by putting you in the marriage bed with your sister’s fiancé.  (That is messed up) Then in the morning this groom realizes that you are not who he thought you were.  In anger he goes to your father and complains about how he had to take you as his wife.  This is probably not the kind of wedding night that you were dreaming of.  Can you imagine that kind of rejection and being unloved in that way?  In fact even after having four sons she hoped it would cause her unsuspecting husband to love her.  Every human person has to deal with rejection on some level.  For some it seems that at every turn of life they are constantly being rejected by somebody or something. It so important that we learn to deal with rejection. Remember, Jesus was rejected by everyone and even His Father God turned His head from him. He knew rejection like no one has ever known. Yet, he forgave his rejecters and loved them anyways.  Wow!  The power of forgiving those who reject us will allow us to draw from a power that flows from a source opened 2000 years ago on the Cross.  This is an active demonstration of the spirit's power in our life to do what we can't overcome by ourselves.  Now allow me to finish the rest of this story of these two sisters Rachel and Leah.  Rachel was loved by Jacob, while Leah was a tag along.  However, as life came to its finale Jacob buried Rachel in a grave along the way reserving the grave next to him for Leah. Through all that rejection Jacob and Leah actually became more “in love” then the love he had with Rachel.  It is amazing what God can do when you deal with your rejection, but it starts with you!

Birthright

In the Jonathan Biffert clan I am the proud possessor of the Biffert Birthright!  Now you may wonder why I am even wasting your time to brag about my position among my family.  Before you stop reading take a moment and consider your birthright if you have one, and think about how we really have no understanding of the importance of birthright in our culture.  In America all that our parents own is evenly dispersed among all of the children.  Often funerals can be a cat fight about who is going to get what.  However, in the ancient days, it was the first born that would inherit 'The Blessing' of the father.  The birthright was a very tangible mantle that was passed on through generations.  In the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau they understood the birthright.  Now your thinking wasn't it Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?  You are right, however, Jacob was not the firstborn.  In fact, Esau was the firstborn and entitled to his father’s birthright.  However, he lost sight of the importance of that mantle on his life.  Jacob was searching for a way to gain that favor and blessing.  One day the opportunity presented itself.  Esau famished from a long hunt in the wild happened upon Jacob making a pot of red stew (Wendy's chili).  It smelled so good and started peek the taste buds in Esau's mouth.  He begged Jacob for a bowl but he refused to give Esau anything until Esau surrendered his birthright.  In that moment Esau in total disregard for his destiny, The Blessing of his Grandfather, and the promises of his Birthright made the decision to change the course of history and sell his birthright (Salvation, destiny, favor and blessing) for a bowl of chili.  The cravings and appetites of his stomach beset Esau future.

Satan works in the same pattern against our lives.  Through Jesus Christ the believer possesses 'the birthright' of the Kingdom of God.  This ‘birthright’ is our mark of being a person of Christ, a possessor of His inheritance, and a channel of His Grace.  Satan’s whole existence is to create a stew that would be so tempting that it would cause you to sell your birthright for a temporary pleasure.  When you are in the valley, and your life seems famished and weary, beware of the man with a pot of chili.  Beware of the person, or philosophies, or even pleasures that try to get you to abandon your faith in the birthright for your life.  Never undervalue the importance of the birthright in your life. It is that birthright that will cause you to have True life on earth with a lasting legacy leading you to the eternal life in Heaven.  What is it that is trying to get you to sell out your birthright in order to possess a fleeting pleasure?