How many Esau's Do You Know?

Genesis 36:6-7 -  Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan, and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob.   Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock.

Esau took the wives he had taken from the land of Canaan and all his possessions and moved to Seir. He and his brother had acquired so much that the land could not support their livestock if they had stayed together.  The rest of this chapter is a full genealogy of Esau’s descendants. It shows how his family became the Edomites…Horites and other nations of Seir.

It is a reminder to me that our decisions sometimes have permanent consequences. Esua made some choices in life that could not be reversed…even God chose not to change them.  God kept his promise to Isaac…and allowed great nations to rise from Esau’s children…but none of those children ever knew and followed God’s ways.

Esau never allowed God to be a part of his life.  He chose a life with pagan wives that gave him material wealth…but that wealth would crumble to the hands of his brothers’ children when God gave the Israelites the land of Canaan.

I can’t imagine how it would be to live an entire life without the love of God in my life. And that thought helps to drive a deep passion to share his love as much as possible with others. There are still many Esau’s in this world…that have chosen to live a life without God. Their life will not end well…even if they have built around them huge material collections of earthly things.

Father…thank you for the reminder that my choices sometimes have permanent consequences. I thank you for the mercy and grace that has used many of my bad choices and turned them into something that you can use to spread your love. Help me to be a light to the Esau’s of the world that have chosen to live a life without you. Give me the perfect words and deeds to show them the plan of salvation that will change their lives into something you can use too.  Amen.