# 247 Live To Love and Serve Jesus First

The Book of Genesis

Day 247

Ge 27:1 Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." And he answered him, "Here I am."

Esau and Isaac had a special father/son relationship. Isaac is aging and he has a concern. He has a request to make of Esau and calls to him, “My son..” Esau replies to his earthly father in the same way we ought to respond to our heavenly Father, when He calls! “Here I am.”

It’s the same response that Abraham gave to God when God called his name in Gen 22:1! It’s a response that implies a willingness to serve or obey. It’s a three worded response that echoes Ro 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

While Esau’s relationship to his earthly father is commendable, it will do him no good in the long run if he has no relationship with his heavenly Father! As we have seen, Esau has chosen to live without a sensitivity to God or His will. This is a sad state of affairs.

It’s a state of affairs that exists in many places in our culture today. There is a huge emphasis put on family, and while this is certainly commendable, if God is left out of the equation, it profits us nothing! Love and sacrifice among family members will profit nothing without the cornerstone or foundation of a right relationship with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we love our family to the NEGLECT of the Lord, we are in fact, engaged in idolatry. The proper order is to love God, and out of that love for God, the proper flow of love and care for your family will flow! 

Jesus said in Mt 10:37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” He did not say that we are to neglect our family, but He made it clear where our first priority ought to be.

The question is: “Where are your priorities? If God seems to be playing second fiddle, changes need to be made. Your children, your mom and dad, your family members, need to know who is number one in your life, and they will only know as they observe your priorities in action.

Live to love and serve Jesus and you will live and love your family members well!