Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please his father Isaac, Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, and sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, September 24, 2025
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Esau really did try to be a good son. He had a great relationship with his dad, even if he could never quite seem to please his mom. When Rebekah decided that the Canaanite women that Esau had married were driving her a little nuts (more family drama!), Isaac took Rebekah’s side, making it clear to Esau in some way that his wives were causing issues with his mom. I think it shows that Esau was a stand-up guy when he didn’t divorce his Canaanite wives. But he did try to make it better by marrying someone who was family—Abraham’s granddaughter and therefore his first cousin (or maybe first half-cousin, since Isaac and Ishamel were half brothers? Not sure how that works.) Anyway, he kept it in the family. Although, honestly, after all the drama between Sarah and Hagar (Isaac and Ishmael’s moms) it seems a strange choice. But, hey, God’s family has always been pretty dysfunctional, and lots of amazing and wonderful things have come out of them. Maybe the lesson for us today is to look to our sometimes less than perfect families and recognize when the people around us are just trying to do their best.
How can I have compassion and show love for members of my family who drive me a little nuts?
