Why Do You Love?
And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. – Genesis 26:28 NKJV
I was watching a news program last night – at least I think it was news – and a story came up regarding continuing relief efforts in New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The story was about how Brad Pitt had been involved and the reporter mentioned something about how Brad must like the city of New Orleans because he had obviously made some friends there. The first thing that popped into my mind was the question “Are these people really his friends?”. Call me cynical, but somehow I doubt it.
Individuals in any position of visibility, leadership or especially celebrity status, have people all of the time who claim to be their friends but who really have other motivations. After all, we tend to like being around people who can give us something, whether that something is in the form of current or potential benefit. Does that make us a “friend” of the giver?
In the passage above, while we obviously see some favoritism going on, what stood out to me was why each parent loved their favorite child. Isaac loved Esau for what he brought to him; Rebekah seemed to love Jacob just for who he was. Interesting.
God loved us and sent his son Jesus to die for us regardless of what we had done for him.
But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 NKJV
We were his enemies (Romans 5:10), yet he gave the ultimate sacrifice for us anyway. I am thankful for that sacrifice. I will love and serve God because of it as long as I live because it is a debt I can never repay. However, when times get tough and things aren’t seeming to go my way, will I still love God even though I can’t see how he is blessing me? Honestly, I still do. It may have taken me awhile to get to that point in my walk of faith, but because I’ve gotten to know God through his Word, I’ve grown to love him all of the time, not just because of the latest blessing. I want it to be written about me: “…but Janna loved God.” What about you?
“but Denise loved God.” This is wonderful post… It is hard to trust when in the darkness but it is always in the darkness that we learn who He really is….. It has been in the very darkest times of my Life that He reveled Himself in the greatest measure.. My favorite verse (or one of them) is
So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19
In the original greek the comma is behind the word ‘in” When the enemy shall come in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him… How great it that…
Have a great day…
This was really good, bless you.
Thank you for this lovely post.
Janna,
Wow…. Romans 5:8 Amen.
BTW, the whol Jacob Esau thing is simply facinating, don’t you think?
I love the Bible. I just get lost in the intrigue of it all. Cool Post.
AMEN…
Just did a Bible study on this verse.. I learned a lot..but I do everytime I revisit a verse… isn’t that just like God!!
Thank you for your precious words
Love ya
Connie