Sunday, June 23, 2019

Genesis 24:21 says, And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.  The servant didn't immediately tell Rebekah what he was there for.  He was still waiting to make sure that this was God answering his prayer.  We should never just assume that when thing's seem fall in place that it is God's answer to our prayers.  Verse twenty-two states, And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;  The servant rewarded Rebekah for her kindness even before asking her who she was.  She still might not have been the answer to his prayer.  Verse twenty-three asks, And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?  The servant then asked Rebekah whose daughter she was, and if there was room there for his camels and himself to lodge.  Finding the right woman to be Isaac's wife was only part of the task.  The servant also had to persuade her to come with him to marry Isaac.  He needed to talk with her family about this.  If what we see as answer to prayer involves others, we must be sure that they understand why we are doing what we are doing.  Verse twenty-four declares, And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.  Rebekah told the servant some of her family history.  Verse twenty-five adds, She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.  She then told the servant that that had enough room and provisions to meet his needs.  She still did not know the real reason the servant was there, but she offered the hospitality of her family anyway.  We, like Rebekah, should always offer our help and our hospitality to others whenever possible, without wondering how we will profit from doing so.  Verse twenty-six states, And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.  The first thing that the servant did was bow his head and worship God.  If we feel that God has answered our prayers, our first action should be to worship Him.  We often regulate worship to a particular time or place, but we should worship God wherever we are, especially if we feel that He has answered our prayers.  Verse twenty-seven says, And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.  The servant said that the LORD of his master Abraham had answered his prayer and had rewarded his trip by leading him to the daughter of one of Abraham's relatives.  Though he was working on behalf of Abraham, the servant still acknowledged that God was at work in his life.  If we are working on behalf of others, as followers of Christ, we must make sure that we are being obedient to God and give Him the praise when He answers our prayers.  Verse twenty-eight declares, And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.  Rebekah did not hesitate, but ran and told her family what had happened.  She may not have totally understood what was happening, but she wanted to share what had happened so far with her family.  We may not understand everything that God is doing in our lives, but we should share what He has done so far whenever we can.  Verse twenty-nine says, And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.  Rebekah's brother Laban ran to the servant at the well.  Verse thirty adds, And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.  Laban wanted to see who the man was who had given Rebekah the earrings and bracelets.  I believe that we today would be especially curious if a stranger gave valuable gifts to our young sister or daughter, but we like Laban should meet the man if possible and see why he had done so.  Verse thirty-one states, And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.  Laban acknowledged that the servant was blessed of the LORD, and told him to come on, that he had a place prepared for the servant and his camels.  We are not told how Laban recognized that God was at work, but only that he did.  We today should never assume that we are the only ones who can recognize the work of God in the world.

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