Devotionals by Raul Ries

TUESDAY May 19, 2026

Seeking Repentance

For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
Hebrews 12:17

No sooner had Jacob left than Esau came into the tent with his father’s favorite food all prepared. He was ready to receive his blessing. Puzzled, Isaac said, “Who are you?” to which he replied, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau” (Genesis 27:32). Isaac must have thought, Wait a minute. Something happened here! Isaac told Esau, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing” (Genesis 27:35).

With regret, Esau cried over the loss of his birthright and the blessings he did not inherit. He was crying, not because he was sorry for what he did; he was weeping because he did not get the blessing. He lost sight of its value and sinned against God. Esau was rejected by God and not honored to be in the lineage of the Messiah. Even though he sought it, there was no place for repentance––it was too late.

There are people like Esau who have sinned against God by counting Christ and the blessing of a spiritual inheritance as nothing. They do not see its value until it is too late. Instead, they hang on to the riches of this world. But what of the blessing of Christ? When they die, again it’s too late. While living, they already had made their decision.

Sadly, you may have seen how people sell their souls to the devil just to enjoy alcohol, drugs and sex. They trade in what God desires to bless them with for worldly pleasures––things that only satisfy their fleshly appetites. Have you seen people continually coming to the altar, weeping and crying because of what they have done? But do they really repent? Are they just regretful because they are suffering the consequences of their sin? Most of the time, there is no true change of heart. They want nothing to do with obeying God. They are not truly repentant.

True repentance will cause a person to be broken before God. They will confess their sins and die to their old life and habits. As born-again Christians, they have a birthright––they inherit eternal life.

True repentance is to cease from sin.
~Ambrose~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!