Our Father: A Tale of Two Brothers

We can learn a lot from the story of the Prodigal Son. Many people want to know how they have been loved when God insists that He loves them. Love is not self-seeking. You cannot dictate the terms for which you can be loved or love others. Esau despised his birth right and as a result traded it for a plate of pottage. What you despise cannot give you an advantage (Genesis 25:29). Jacob’s mother proposed a substitution of the curse of Jacob’s deception, just the same way Jesus took the curse in our place, that we may be blessed.

Jacob eventually got the blessing from Isaac but it took 20years for him to benefit from it. Receiving a blessing differs from activating it (Genesis 27). The blessing of God can make you wealthy but wealth cannot give you the blessing. Esau was wealthy but did not have ‘the blessing.’ Jacob, at the same time was not as wealthy but he had ‘the wealth.’ The blessing of God activates in an atmosphere of unity among brethren (Psalm 133:1-3). Where strife exists, all manner of evil works will manifest (James 3:16). For God’s blessing to be activated, you must realize that it is not about you (Philippians 2:1-3).