Don’t Act On Impulse!

So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. Isaiah 28:16

As twins go, Jacob and Esau were very different. But they quickly learned to negotiate. Have you ever watched children make a deal that favored one over the other? For example, one offers the other a candy bar in exchange for an expensive video game. Well, that same dynamic was at work between Jacob and Esau. Esau had been out hunting and came home exhausted and hungry. Nothing mattered to him except food—and certainly not something as remote as a future inheritance. In a moment of weakness he said, ‘I am about to die…what is this birthright to me…So…he…sold [it] to Jacob…[for] bread and stew’ (Genesis 25:32-34). It was a decision Esau would live to regret, and couldn’t undo. Recovering addicts are taught the importance of observing their H.A.L.T. sign. When they’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired, they’re in danger. And so are you! Acting on impulse will cause you to: 1) buy stuff you don’t need at prices you can’t afford; 2) react before you get all the facts, resulting in a loss of respect, opportunities and good relationships; 3) compromise your character for a few moments of sinful pleasure; 4) quit in the middle of the race, or worse, on the threshold of victory. The Bible says, ‘He that believeth shall not make haste.’ When you make choices based on short-term gratification rather than life-long convictions and goals, you always lose out in the end. So don’t take the deal; don’t trade your God-given destiny for momentary gratification. Be patient and hold fast. When you do, God will bring your dreams to pass in ways that honor instead of diminishing them.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to make wise decisions that are thought through so that they are honoring to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen