I don't know how long Presidential candidates have had campaign songs, probably since George Washington! Now, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's was pretty famous, coming as it did through the Great Depression - "Happy Days Are Here Again." Now Bill Clinton had a song for his 1992 campaign, in fact he reached back, I think it was back into the '70s, for his song, remember? - "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow." They used it so much some people wanted to sing, "Please Stop Singing About Tomorrow." Now I don't know how you feel about the candidate, and I don't even know if you like the song - but it's not a bad theme for your campaign!
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow!"
Our word for today from the Word of God takes a look at somebody who did, with painful results. Esau, the oldest son of Isaac and Rebecca, and then his younger brother Jacob. Jacob wanted the birthright - you see, Esau got it because he was born first, that means he had double inheritance. He'd run the family when his father died, just a tremendous privilege from being the first born. Here's what happens, we're at Genesis 25:29, "When Jacob was cooking some stew one day Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright." "Look, I'm about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?" But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread, and some Lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised," or didn't think much about, "his birthright."
You see Esau made a choice, a terrible choice here based solely on what would meet his need right now. And you know what? He had that need again tomorrow morning. He sacrificed his tomorrows for it. In fact, in Hebrews 12:16-17 we find out what happened later in life. "See that no one is...like Esau," it says, "who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward...when he wanted to inherit this blessing he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind though he sought the blessing with tears." A lifetime of regret because of what he did to meet that need that day.
You see, God wants you to make "no regrets" choices. That means you don't make Esau's mistake - meet a need, but lose a treasure. The need will return as soon as the pot of stew wears off, but the treasure you paid for it could be gone forever. You may be on the edge of such a short term decision right now. You really want to be married and not alone anymore, but you're about to marry the wrong person to meet the need. And that will lead to the loneliest lonely of all. Maybe the pot of stew solution is in your finances - a way that will take care of the immediate need, but cost you so much later on. Maybe it's tempting right now to compromise your integrity a little, or your reputation to get something you want, or to keep something you don't want to lose. But is it worth the scares that will be there long after this moment is gone? It could be that your needs are drawing you towards some sexual sin before marriage, or violating your marriage covenant. The bill will last far longer than the thrill. God knows how good that pot of stew is looking to you right now and how you're minimizing what you're going to lose. And he brought you to this program to intervene before you lose a birthright. Something with lifetime value.
This is a loving voice from your Savior saying, "Please don't do this, it will cost you too much." There is no need so important that is worth losing a lifetime treasure to meet it. Please, don't stop thinking about tomorrow.