They were brothers and the rivalry between them was of the thermo-nuclear variety. These twins were named Jacob and Esau. Esau was the oldest but history has ridden on the back of Jacob and his descendants. God’s sovereign will is unfolded as Esau sold his birthright and then was swindled out of his blessing. Esau’s may be the saddest story in the Old Testament. It is so sad that the New Testament uses it as the prime example of someone who lived a life of perpetual regret (Heb. 12: 16-17).
Bitterness is a wicked beast! It devours thousands and savagely maims millions more. Years of pastoral experience have convinced me that it is the besetting sin of believers everywhere. A painful home life, a financial reversal, a harsh termination, an ugly divorce, a huge injustice – the list could go on ad infinitum, ad nauseum. The brutalities of life are myriad and sadly they often leave us as unrequited as ancient Esau.
His story is ancient but his choice – bitterness – is as current as the feelings some of you have right now. You see, bitterness really is choice. We cannot control our circum-stances but we can control how we respond to them. How should we respond? In just the way Esau declined to respond – with grace (Heb. 12: 15).
Nothing so typifies our Lord as grace. You could not total up the injustices the world has hurled at our God if you had a thousand lifetimes. In fact, we don’t have enough time in our own lifetime to total all the injustices we have personally hurled in His divine face. In spite of that He has given us grace – the very opposite of what we deserve.
How do you get over all the stuff others have spitefully done to you? By taking a long, relaxing soak in the grace of a God Who had every right to get us but gave instead.