Genesis 25:21, 24-26a, 28 - Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife [Rebekah], because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah ... conceived. ... When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. ... When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
This devotion pairs with this weekend's Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lhm.org.
The book of Genesis begins with the conditions all humans need to thrive—life conditioned by the unconditional love of God—love that never despises us, love that guides us away from what will harm us and toward what will bless us, love that promises us a place in God's family, even when our striving comes to nothing.
But in this account from Genesis 25, we meet twin brothers living in less-than-favorable conditions. They're living under the conditions of a counterfeit love, conditional love. And in response, one will be striving for the favor of his family, while the other will be despising it. Neither is innocent nor totally to blame. Jacob came out of the womb striving, but how much of his later scheming was motivated by knowing that his father loved his brother more than him? And Esau's disdain for his place in his family, selling his birthright for a bowl of soup—it's inexcusable. But how much of that disdain was induced by the fickle, conditional love of his mother? And how much could have been different if the boys had been secure in the unconditional love of their Father in heaven, and had that love channeled to them by their earthly parents?
Genesis, however, is less concerned about what might have been, and more about what happened. Isaac and Rebekkah made matters worse with their counterfeit love. Esau went on despising his place in the family. Jacob goes on striving. And this dysfunctional behavior discolors all their relationships. And everything falls apart. Gensis shows us this unfiltered strife not just to prove that we can't live under these conditions, but also that God's unconditional love will keep finding us, even there.
Genesis is the beginning of the account of God's love—love narrowing down for one so that it can come to all. There are moments of inspiring faith recorded in the Old Testament, but it never shows us anyone truly anchored in God's love. Jacob's family—the one chosen to be the conduit of God's love—all his sons fail. So, God accomplishes what they cannot. God the Father sends His eternal Son to become a human son in the family of Jacob. And when Jesus seems to be failing, when He's dying on the cross, weighed down by the failures of the whole human family, taking them as His own, for the joy that was set before Him, He is still anchored, held in the unconditional love of His Father. And then Jesus reversed death, broke its power, so that His joy could be yours and you could be His.
WE PRAY: Dear Father, Your love is unconditional, but my life is not. I need You. So, keep me close. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker for The Lutheran Hour.
Reflection Questions:
1. When have you experienced conditional love?
2. Which of your human relationships have come close to unconditional love?
3. What helps you stay anchored in God's unconditional love?
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Chronicles 24-26 2 Corinthians 11:1-15
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