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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 27 November 2024:
Genesis 24:3, 4 – … you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell….
Most important to Abraham was that his son marry within the people of God; this was non-negotiable as it must be today. See Deuteronomy 7:3, and 2 Chronicles 6:14-15.
Genesis 24:12 – Please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.
The faithful and obedient servant wanted blessing for his master. Note also that the servant realized that success could only come from God. As faithful servants, our goal should only be what God wants, and we should recognize that only He can accomplish that goal through us; we cannot do it ourselves. God-sized goals always require God-sized power. God is always asking you to do what is impossible for you so that His power and glory may be revealed rather than yours.
As an employee or volunteer, our goal should be the seek the very best outcomes for those we serve, employing our very best effort for their benefit but primarily for God’s glory, also praying for the blessings for those we serve which only God can provide.
- Colossians 3:22-24 — Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
- Colossians 3:17 — And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Genesis 24:12-14 – And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
The servant (likely Eliezer – Genesis 15:2) didn’t just hope for the best for his master, he was ready to work for it. The journey was long. The straight-line distance from Canaan to Ur of the Chaldeans was some 500 miles (800 kilometers), but the most common route was about 900 miles (1,450 kilometers). He had to manage a large caravan all that distance, which undoubtedly wasn’t easy. Eliezer was a man of character, which is why Abraham had entrusted him with such an important task. How far are you willing to go to provide the very best to God and others?
The servant had a test of character for Isaac’s future wife, not a test of personality, beauty, or family connections. Considering that a camel may drink up to 20 gallons, watering ten camels meant at least an hour of hard work.
Genesis 24:15, 16 – Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.
God arranged circumstances and put everything in place to ensure that Rebekah met Isaac. Nothing is random to God who ordains all things.
Rebekah had saved herself for marriage, just as God commands. Had Rebekah been unfaithful to God’s commands, she would have disqualified herself for many blessings. What can we learn here?
Genesis 24:19, 20 — When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.
Once again, watering camels was a huge task, but Rebekah offered to do it for a complete stranger without being asked. Note also that she did it quickly, with great zeal, and not begrudgingly. What does this say about her character? Who do you know who lives this way?
Genesis 24:50, 51 – Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”
No man can thwart the plans of God. God blesses those who abide by His plans.
Genesis 24:27 – As for me, the LORD has led me
“We have to be so one with God that we do not continually need to ask for guidance. Sanctification means that we are made the children of God, and the natural life of a child is obedience — until he wishes to be disobedient, then instantly there is the intuitive jar. In the spiritual domain the intuitive jar is the monition of the Spirit of God. When He gives the check, we have to stop at once and be renewed in the spirit of our mind in order to make out what God’s will is. If we are born again of the Spirit of God, it is the abortion of piety to ask God to guide us here and there. “The Lord led me,” and on looking back we see the presence of an amazing design, which, if we are born of God, we will credit to God.
We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the culture of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never allow that the haphazard is anything less than God’s appointed order, and be ready to discover the Divine designs anywhere. Beware of making a fetish of consistency to your convictions instead of being devoted to God. “I shall never do that” — in all probability you will have to, if you are a saint. There never was a more inconsistent Being on this earth than Our Lord, but He was never inconsistent to His Father. The one consistency of the saint is not to a principle, but to the Divine life. It is the Divine life which continually makes more and more discoveries about the Divine mind. It is easier to be a fanatic than a faithful soul, because there is something amazingly humbling, particularly to our religious conceit, in being loyal to God.” (Oswald Chambers)
Genesis 24:52-54 – When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord. And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.”
The servant paid the bride price, or dowry. You too were bought at a price:
- 1 Corinthians 9:19-20 — You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
- 1 Corinthians 7:23 — You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
Genesis 24:55-58 – Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”
It is easy to say you will follow God (vs 50, 51), but delay indicates doubt, self-centeredness, and disobedience. Willing obedience is always instant obedience. Delayed obedience is always disobedience. Perhaps the greatest oxymoronic or antimonious statement which could be spoken is, “No, Lord.” Perhaps the second is “Not yet, Lord.” He is either your Lord in the moment or not at all – Don’t kid yourself; you certainly aren’t fooling God.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 27 November 2024: Today, consider your service to God and others. Is it immediate, wholehearted, and fully exhaustive? If not, repent, and do all things, particularly the little things for the overlooked, for God’s glory. Today, water a stranger’s camels.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 