Slices
Prepare
Read Psalms 18:30a and 118:23. Thank God for the ways he answers prayer.
Bible passage
52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
When they got up the next morning, he said, ‘Send me on my way to my master.’
55 But her brother and her mother replied, ‘Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.’
56 But he said to them, ‘Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master.’
57 Then they said, ‘Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.’ 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, ‘Will you go with this man?’
‘I will go,’ she said.
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
‘Our sister, may you increase
to thousands upon thousands;
may your offspring possess
the cities of their enemies.’
61 Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, ‘Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?’
‘He is my master,’ the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Explore
Yesterday, we were reminded that Laban and Bethuel acknowledged, ‘This is from the Lord’ (v 50). As if the unfolding story we have been reading isn’t proof enough of God confirming to Abraham’s servant that he was on the right track, in today’s verses we have more evidence of God’s sovereignty in all the circumstances.
Despite the tempting idea of a few final days with her family (v 55), as far as Rebekah is concerned, it is never in question that she should accompany her future father-in-law’s servant back to meet her future husband. Her simple, positive response to a huge request is, ‘I will’ (v 58). It would be echoed by Mary, in her words to the angel in Luke 1:38.
It’s often with hindsight that we can see God at work. Here, for all concerned, God’s purposes were staring them in the face. The fact that Isaac loved Rebekah and was comforted after his mother’s death is yet another example of all that God was doing then and would do in the future for, and through, this family.
Respond
Grains of sand are still on the seashore, stars in the sky still shine! Praise God for his amazing promise to Abraham in Genesis 22:17, reiterated after his willingness to sacrifice Isaac. Now Isaac is married, Abraham’s descendants will multiply. God is faithful!
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Genesis 43,44; Psalm 10
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Chloe Shivraj, SU’s Safeguarding Manager, as she nurtures and develops a safeguarding culture within the movement. Pray that policies will come to life, high-quality training will be delivered and a kingdom mindset will continue to develop towards those children and young people we serve.
