You know, when you know the Bible stories pretty well, it would be easy to skip or skim over them. I find that the temptation sometimes with stories I've read and reread and reread. But I'm glad I'm making myself read over them, because there is still something new and fresh to be seen, noticed, or learned. Case in point, these are things I've thought about before when reading this passage:
- What a man of faith Abraham's servant is! He goes before the Lord, makes a specific request, fully confident that the Lord will provide. How often are we specific in our requests to the Lord? How often do we make generalities because we really don't believe the Lord will provide or are not sure we could keep ourselves from doubt if that specific request is denied in God's good will and understanding? But Abraham's servant had full confidence in God and made his request specific, and the Lord answered it specifically!
- How much courage and faith did Rebekah have to simply up and go the very next day with a man she did not know to a husband she had never met? Oftentimes at that time there were many (if not all) arranged marriages and I'm not sure how much say a young woman had in marriage anyway, as it was between the bridegroom and her father. Still, they gave her the option and she chose to go.
- I love the fact that Isaac saw them coming from a distance and went to meet them. I find that one of the most romantic passages in the Bible: Isaac sees them and goes to meet his bride. Rebekah sees him coming and dismounts and prepares herself for his arrival. I try to imagine their first meeting, there in the field, perhaps even a little awkward and a little excited and try to imagine what they said. Don't burst in the romance bubble for me: because we do know that Isaac loved Rebekah, and Rebekah, for the most part, seems to have loved Isaac back. If only their favoritism amongst their children hadn't created family problems.
Things I thought about today, though:
- Laban: what's up with that dude? He's a bit of a scheister we see later on in his dealings with Jacob. At this time, though, he seems almost admirable. I can't decide: he immediately goes out to greet Abraham's servant after hearing his sister's report and welcomes him into the house. I have to admit, I had always thought this good hospitality before. But this time I noticed that it included a note that Laban noticed the gold on his sister's arms and in her nose. Was it monetarily motivated, then? Did he see those things and think there was more to be had? Or did he recognize that God was at work and his motives were pure of heart? He and his father both certainly acknowledged that it was the Lord's doing that brought Abraham's servant to them? I do not want to hastily judge Laban, but it would certainly be a very sad thing to be so obedient to the Lord's will here, and then so greedy and duplicitous later as he was to Jacob, his own nephew.
- What an amazing example Abraham must have set for his household to have not only such a faithful servant but a servant whose own faith in the Lord was so strong. As the head of his household, Abraham would have set the tone for everyone else. I do not doubt that Abraham's own walk of faith influenced his servant's walk of faith, especially in this matter. This is an excellent example and admonition to my husband and I: that we will set the tone for our home before our children. If we love and respect and care about the Lord and God's people, our children will be more likely to do so. If we consider church important, hold the Scriptures in high esteem, and make ministry a part of daily life, so then, hopefully, will our children. We have little eyes watching us; we have a responsibility to them to live rightly, love the Lord, and be a good example.
Tomorrow's Reading: Genesis 25:1-34
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