Wednesday 11 November, 2015
Genesis 24:62-67
62 By that time Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi. He was living in the Negev Desert. 63 One evening he went out to the field. He wanted to spend some time thinking. When he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel. 65 She asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He’s my master,” the servant answered. So she covered her face with her veil. 66 Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done. 67 Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah. And he married Rebekah. She became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother died.
At the beginning of the chapter we heard Abraham’s plans for who Isaac should marry. We heard Abraham’s servant’s plan for how to find a wife of him. And we saw God’s choice of a wife for him.
Only now do we see Isaac’s part.
It would be understandable if he said “no, I’ll choose my own wife”. It would be understandable if he refused. But he chooses to love Rebekah deeply.
The result of him embracing God’s choice for him wholeheartedly is deep and profound blessing.
It’s a bit like that for me. God chose me before I chose Him. Jesus came looking for me, and died to rescue me before I ever knew I needed rescuing. He revealed himself to me while I was ignorant. He opened my mind to see Him. But it was still my choice how I respond. Many do say “I’ll choose my own way”. Many do refuse Him. But when I choose to embrace Him wholeheartedly, I’m blessed deeply.
Father, thank you for giving me the freedom to choose you. I choose you wholeheartedly.
Written by David Cornell
While the concept of an arranged marriage is foreign to me and even somewhat uncomfortable, the sense of joy and excitement as these two meet one another is simply beautiful. While they may have known one another as children (since they are relatives) it is likely that they both needed to have a huge degree of faith that their parents had chosen a good partner for each other.
For me, this speaks of the trust and faith that I place on my Heavenly Father to be able to position me in the right situations.
God’s word says that he will work all things together for the good of those who love him and are called unto his purpose (Romans 8:28) which I believe, but so often I struggle to trust Him with this fully.
The joy and celebration that they show here is also significant for me. Does God want me to be more excited and joyful when he puts me in new situations? Do I get worried about all the possible outcomes, or do I trust that God is in it and rejoice that he is doing something new?