Shadows of Stew
"Don't sell out for a bowl of stew."
This is written on a note on my desk. I have many things on my desk, some of which are notes that I use to encourage me or to keep me focused.
This particular note I wrote in response to something I was reading or a podcast/sermon I listened to. It comes from the Bible story of Jacob and Esau.
Here is a quick summary: Jacob and Esau are twins. Esau was the born first and in Jewish culture was awarded a birthright and a blessing. But Jacob stole both of these from his brother. The birthright Jacob actually bought with a bowl of stew. Esau was out hunting and came home famished. Jacob was cooking and offered a bowl of stew in exchange for Esau's birthright. And Esau sold it. (Genesis 25: 29-34)
Now to my note. I wrote my note to remind me that what is right in front of me, no matter how hungry I am, is NOTHING compared to what lies ahead. If I was to give in to my hunger for an appetizer and not for the main course I would be seen as a fool. Much like Esau is seen as a fool from those of us who know how this story plays out.
Jacob and Esau are the sons of Isaac. Isaac is the son of Abraham. The son that Abraham and Sarah were promised by God that his covenant would be fulfilled through. The promise from God that he would make Abraham the father of many, as many as the stars in the sky. As the story goes Jacob becomes very vital in the rest of the Old Testament and up to the birth of Jesus.
So this was the birthright that Esau despised for a bowl of stew. The feast that was sold for a mear bowl of stew. But at the moment nothing else made sense for Esau. All he knew was his stomach and the hunger that burned within. I have been here. That place where something in front of me looks so amazing that whatever lies in the future is so blurry I can only focus on this appetizer.
In the Bible, Paul writes about shadows. Not like dark alleys and stuff, but as in the things that this world has to offer, be it instant gratification, awards, or even power. They are all things that are not the real prize. They are just being sold as the prize. Many times these shadows are bowls of stew that are placed in front of us at our perceived times of hunger. One thing I have learned is our perceived hunger paralyzes us.
Ok, let me get out of the aerial view for a moment and get on the ground. Many times this hunger can be the urges we have to satisfy a desire. These urges can be looking at porn to satisfy whatever type of 'hunger' you can think of, shopping with money we don't have for things we can't afford, talking behind someone's back to get us ahead or to be seen as better than them. These are just shadows. The way you can tell is that they do not satisfy. A feast satisfies. Many of us just had some holiday meals and know this feeling. That "somebody roll me to the living room because I am so stuffed" feeling. That is satisfied -or at least you are not wanting anymore. Shadows are filling for the moment. You feel good and on top, until you don't and then you just feel worse. It is like you were in a fog of hunger and then you get what you thought you wanted and the fog lifts only to expose the shadow for what it is. And what is crazy is that we actually get worse after satisfying ourselves with shadows, it leaves us wanting more and feeling horrible. If the draw is to have the feeling and to be on top, then why do we feel like we are at the bottom all of the time? Its a constant state of being hungry and miserable. It's like eating Chinese food. Tastes good at first and then 20 min later you are hungry again and your stomach is doing cartwheels.
I wonder how Esau felt after that hunger fog was lifted off of him. Did he have one of those "what have I just done' moments? I hate that feeling more than the "good" feeling of the shadow.
One last thing. As Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights he was alone and hungry. The devil (master of the shadows, mind you) came and tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus' response, as should ours in our moments of perceived hunger, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:1-4) The word that comes from God is the Bible. There are many verses on light and God protecting us from our enemies that can help in these hungry times. Writing verses on note cards and placing them around where you are most likely to see shadows, is another way to break free from the paralyzing shadows.
I actually have another note on the other side of where my laptop sits on my desk. It says "CALL OUT THE SHADOWS!!! Choose life!" A reminder to those of you who are finding themselves in many shadows these days. Life is the alternative to shadows because shadows bring death and sin, not life. Keep calling them out and they will start to fade away.
So my note is there to remind me to see 'it' for just what it is, a bowl of stew. Just a shadow, not the real thing. Nothing that can really satisfy me. The only thing I have found that can satisfy completely is Jesus. He is it. SO, in those foggy moments of perceived hunger, call out the shadows and look to the light! He will burn away the shadow and satisfy whatever hunger you may have.
This is written on a note on my desk. I have many things on my desk, some of which are notes that I use to encourage me or to keep me focused.
This particular note I wrote in response to something I was reading or a podcast/sermon I listened to. It comes from the Bible story of Jacob and Esau.
Here is a quick summary: Jacob and Esau are twins. Esau was the born first and in Jewish culture was awarded a birthright and a blessing. But Jacob stole both of these from his brother. The birthright Jacob actually bought with a bowl of stew. Esau was out hunting and came home famished. Jacob was cooking and offered a bowl of stew in exchange for Esau's birthright. And Esau sold it. (Genesis 25: 29-34)
Now to my note. I wrote my note to remind me that what is right in front of me, no matter how hungry I am, is NOTHING compared to what lies ahead. If I was to give in to my hunger for an appetizer and not for the main course I would be seen as a fool. Much like Esau is seen as a fool from those of us who know how this story plays out.
Jacob and Esau are the sons of Isaac. Isaac is the son of Abraham. The son that Abraham and Sarah were promised by God that his covenant would be fulfilled through. The promise from God that he would make Abraham the father of many, as many as the stars in the sky. As the story goes Jacob becomes very vital in the rest of the Old Testament and up to the birth of Jesus.
So this was the birthright that Esau despised for a bowl of stew. The feast that was sold for a mear bowl of stew. But at the moment nothing else made sense for Esau. All he knew was his stomach and the hunger that burned within. I have been here. That place where something in front of me looks so amazing that whatever lies in the future is so blurry I can only focus on this appetizer.
In the Bible, Paul writes about shadows. Not like dark alleys and stuff, but as in the things that this world has to offer, be it instant gratification, awards, or even power. They are all things that are not the real prize. They are just being sold as the prize. Many times these shadows are bowls of stew that are placed in front of us at our perceived times of hunger. One thing I have learned is our perceived hunger paralyzes us.
Ok, let me get out of the aerial view for a moment and get on the ground. Many times this hunger can be the urges we have to satisfy a desire. These urges can be looking at porn to satisfy whatever type of 'hunger' you can think of, shopping with money we don't have for things we can't afford, talking behind someone's back to get us ahead or to be seen as better than them. These are just shadows. The way you can tell is that they do not satisfy. A feast satisfies. Many of us just had some holiday meals and know this feeling. That "somebody roll me to the living room because I am so stuffed" feeling. That is satisfied -or at least you are not wanting anymore. Shadows are filling for the moment. You feel good and on top, until you don't and then you just feel worse. It is like you were in a fog of hunger and then you get what you thought you wanted and the fog lifts only to expose the shadow for what it is. And what is crazy is that we actually get worse after satisfying ourselves with shadows, it leaves us wanting more and feeling horrible. If the draw is to have the feeling and to be on top, then why do we feel like we are at the bottom all of the time? Its a constant state of being hungry and miserable. It's like eating Chinese food. Tastes good at first and then 20 min later you are hungry again and your stomach is doing cartwheels.
I wonder how Esau felt after that hunger fog was lifted off of him. Did he have one of those "what have I just done' moments? I hate that feeling more than the "good" feeling of the shadow.
One last thing. As Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights he was alone and hungry. The devil (master of the shadows, mind you) came and tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus' response, as should ours in our moments of perceived hunger, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:1-4) The word that comes from God is the Bible. There are many verses on light and God protecting us from our enemies that can help in these hungry times. Writing verses on note cards and placing them around where you are most likely to see shadows, is another way to break free from the paralyzing shadows.
I actually have another note on the other side of where my laptop sits on my desk. It says "CALL OUT THE SHADOWS!!! Choose life!" A reminder to those of you who are finding themselves in many shadows these days. Life is the alternative to shadows because shadows bring death and sin, not life. Keep calling them out and they will start to fade away.
So my note is there to remind me to see 'it' for just what it is, a bowl of stew. Just a shadow, not the real thing. Nothing that can really satisfy me. The only thing I have found that can satisfy completely is Jesus. He is it. SO, in those foggy moments of perceived hunger, call out the shadows and look to the light! He will burn away the shadow and satisfy whatever hunger you may have.
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