Count The Cost

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were leaving the grocery store.  It was hot (because Texas), we had just spent most of our money on groceries, and we were starving. Neither of us had taken the time to eat something before grocery shopping.

My birthday had been a few days earlier, and I had eight dollars left. I had really wanted to save the little cash I had, but it was 100° in Texas,  and I thought it was entirely too hot to cook. We typically don't break for less than quality food items, but my stomach was rumbling in protest of emptiness.  We pulled into an ethnic fast food drive thru, and I told my husband I was going to order a few items off the value menu, and we could share.

As we were sitting in the line waiting for our turn to pick up the food,  the Lord began to speak to me. This urgency for nourishment was exactly what Easu was feeling in Genesis,  when he gave his birthright to his younger brother for a bowl of stew. The Holy Spirit quietly whispered to me, "You're selling your birthright for a bean taco." I was stunned. I had never considered this cost of a value menu item.

What exactly had those few items cost me, I wondered internally. Once again, the Lord began to show me what He meant.  Because I didn't discipline my body (we had a back seat full of groceries), I was not only trading in the blessing that was the rest of my birthday cash, I was trading the birthright of my health. Isaiah 53 tells us that when Christ died on the cross, He not only bore our victory over sin, but by His stripes we received healing. I can't trade my birthright of health for junk food, and expect the Lord to bless it. Health comes from prayer, fasting, and wise decisions about diet and exercise.  All my life,  I have struggled with my weight, and as an adult when I know better,  I was still making bad decisions.

Trading in my birthright for a bowl of stew....

I can't go back and unchanged the food that I have eaten over the years. Jacob could not go back on his word to give his brother his birthright,  and the Word says he despised it after handing it over. We make poor decisions when we don't control our flesh. But the good news is God will give me back my portion of the birthright because I am a co-heir with Christ.

Since that day a few weeks ago, I have been more vigilant to keep watch of my hunger. Am I perfect?  No. I have 20 or more years of bad behavior to overcome;  but I know that I can. And now, I am  more aware of the cost.

Read the story:
Esau Sells His Birthright
29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” 33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way.
Thus Esau despised his birthright.