A good Monday morning to you! I’m glad we’re starting the week off together in the Pastor’s Workshop.
This coming Sunday is Father’s Day. It’s a special day to celebrate our fathers, grandfathers and other special men in our lives who have blessed us. Through their example they have given witness to a Heavenly Father whose love is always “with us” and “for our best”.
There are a lot of Scriptures that highlight “fathers” and the role of “fathers”. The one we’ll choose for this Sunday comes from Genesis. In Genesis 27 we find a famous father-son “triangle” highlighted with Isaac, Esau and Jacob.
Much of this chapter revolves around a “father’s blessing”. As we read through this text it’s apparent that the blessing was a one time, formal bestowal of favor (Genesis 27:27-29) usually reserved for the first born. The blessing was not given for the sake of the receiver. It was provided because the receiver was also to inherit the responsibility of watching over and providing for the extended family. Through the one who was blessed the whole family was to be blessed.
As you prepare for Sunday I’d invite you to read and re-read Genesis 27:1-40. Put yourself in the position of the different characters in the story. Isaac, the father, who was to give the blessing according to tradition, to the eldest son, Esau. Rebekah, the mother who had her favorite child, Jacob, and wanted him to have the blessing. Esau, the one who expected to receive the blessing, only to have it stolen by his brother. Jacob, the one who colluded with his mother, deceived his father and robbed the blessing from his brother. It’s quite the dysfunctional family!
In the midst of it all, and at the center of our focus on Sunday, is the cry of Esau is in verse 38, “Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me, me also father!” As we’ll explore on Sunday this a cry we all have. “Blessing” is also a gift we all can give.
I look forward to working through this Bible story together. As we do that we’ll always find, at its roots, the Biblical story is also our story. The Biblical story is a human story. In this case it is our need for a blessing. The Biblical story is also a holy story. In every case it is how God provides that blessing through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In that faith, I invite you to get started and we’ll see you tomorrow in the Pastor’s Workshop!
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for a new week. Thank you for being a God who is “with” and “for” us. Thank for being our Heavenly Father. And in your grace, thank you for inviting us to bring a blessing to others. By your Spirit strengthen us for this service of blessing, in Jesus’ holy name we pray. Amen