For the past few Wednesday nights, while meeting with the group that gathers weekly in our home, we’ve been looking into the book of Hebrews. A few scriptures from chapter 12 grabbed my attention and have continued to stay on my mind. The verses speak about how Esau, for one morsel of food, sold his birthright to his younger brother. As usual, our discussion went towards how this is relevant to our lives today, and what lessons are meant for us to learn from this example. It would be easy to judge Esau for his impulsive, unwise decision, yet this same scenario has been played out from the beginning of time. Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. He desired to have his flesh satisfied, and some food in his belly, more than he valued his birthright, so he gave it up for a bowl of stew. A birthright is “a privilege or possession to which a person is entitled by birth”. Esau, because he was the firstborn son, could claim and enjoy all the benefits that belonged to him, by no merit of his own, but by what was freely given to him upon his birth. The problem was that he did not esteem his birthright enough to deny his fleshly desires to keep it — “Thus Esau despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34).
The same scheme can be observed in the Garden of Eden when Adam’s choice resulted in the loss of his birthright (the life of God in his soul). Jesus came to restore this birthright, through aNEW birth, to whosoever will repent and believe the Gospel. But just as it has always been, mankind fails to value God’s provision more than his own carnal appetites and lusts. Afterward, when Esau came to his senses and sought to inherit the blessing, “he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears” (Hebrews 12:17). God has clearly laid out the ONE way of salvation in His Word — the way of the cross — “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Just like Esau, man desires to have his carnal, fleshly lusts satisfied, yet thinks he can still somehow possess the birthright, too! And just like we see with Esau, it will never happen. God has done the highest thing that can possibly be done to provide ALL that we need to be restored to a relationship with our Creator and enjoy ALL the blessings that entails. But if we do not value and highly esteem our redemption, we’ll sell out to the world every time.
This spring, we returned to minister at many places where we go on a yearly basis, but also had some new opportunities open up. After being at the rodeo in Tifton, Georgia, the first of March, we finished up the weekend at the Florida High School Rodeo in Williston. A few days later, it was time for the PRCA Rodeo in Lake City, Florida, where we had three excellent meetings with great crowds, and even got to come home every night!
After the rodeo in Nashville, Georgia, Butch left April 1st to be involved with a 4-day youth conference near Macon, Georgia. From all reports, God used the time to work mightily in the hearts of many who attended. On Good Friday, we were back with Mountville Baptist Church in LaGrange, Georgia for their annual live crucifixion re-enactment — always a vivid reminder of the sacrificial offering of the Lamb of God. After the rodeos in Swainsboro and Franklin, Georgia, we were with the folks at the Circle Cross Cowboy Church in Lake City, Florida. It was a blessed afternoon of effective ministry and we look forward to returning there in the future.
On April 24th, Ann Smith, of Rodeo Cowboy Ministries based in Midland, Texas, along with Rhonda Coe, arrived for a visit. Ann and her husband, Glenn, had come to see us a few years ago, and we talked her into another trip to Florida. She shared with our Wednesday night group, we took them on a tour of the local attractions, and then we all loaded up and headed to Summerville, Georgia, where she spoke at United Christian Fellowship. Ann certainly fulfilled her calling as an exhorter during her time with us, and our faith, along with many others, was refreshed.
The month of May was spent at rodeos in Pensacola, Florida, and Waco and Summerville, Georgia. We look forward to a fruitful summer and everything that God has in store as He works ALL things together for good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose.