Month: March 2025

Genesis 24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 

Commentary posits that perhaps the brother and mother wanted to keep the servant and Rebekah there for ten days or so because of the amount of wealth so easily handed over upon the agreement for Rebekah to be wed to Isaac. Perhaps Laban wanted an opportunity to gain more treasure before his sister departed.

Genesis 24:53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 

I’ll agree that I don’t know much about Laban and his family, but my mind first went in a totally different direction. They had agreed that this situation–the servant finding Rebekah at the well, Rebekah generously giving water to the servant and all the camels–was a sign from God. They agreed to the marriage. They know the distance that must be traveled to the groom. I thought they just wanted to spend a little time with each other, digest what just happened, store up memories since they might not see Rebekah again.

Genesis 24:54 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.”

Precious Savior, Only You know our true motives, the desires of our hearts that guide our thoughts, words, and actions. Help us, always, to react in ways that bring You praise and glory. Help us never to forget WHO we are and WHOSE we are, and help us to act accordingly. Amen.

Genesis 24:55 But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.”

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:47-48 “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ “She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’ “Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 

The thing that bothers my modern sensibilities about today’s verses is that it all seems so transactional. These are conversations had by the men, and Rebekah is just property to be bartered for. That certainly gets my hackles up, but I guess Rebekah would have just seen it as another day as a female at this time in this culture. However, it works out for her as she becomes, according to a quick Google search, “one of the most prominent women in the Bible.”

Genesis 24:49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”

It reminds me of another story that we will get to shortly–that of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph, also, is bartered away with no say in the matter. He faces a long and winding road of heartache and hardship but eventually ends up in a place to save his family from famine. In my mind, these journeys have much in common.

Genesis 24:50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for showing me this similarity between Rebekah’s and Joseph’s journeys. Thank You for the ability to look deeper into Your word, look past what troubles me, and see Your lessons more clearly. Help me, as I ponder these stories, to understand the truths You are placing on my heart. Amen.

Genesis 24:51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:43 See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,” 

One of my favorite stories to tell is how I ended up in the town where I live, how I met the man I would eventually marry and with whom I would create a beautiful family. Let’s just say that this town was not my choice. In fact, I pretty much told God that the only way I would end up here is if no one else, out of 13 other interviews across the state, offered me a job. They say if you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.

Genesis 24:44 and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’

All those years ago, I could only see how far away this town was from my home, my family. I could only see the tiny supplement and the fact that I knew no one here. I could not see the rich, full life that I would eventually live here. I’m thankful God had different plans for me. I’m thankful that I can (and do!) tell the story of the goodness of God in my journey.

Genesis 24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

Precious Savior, Thank You for the ability to tell our “God Stories,” the stories of how and where we have clearly seen You in our journeys. Thank You that You are with us–even in the heartbreak and disappointment–that Your ways are beyond anything we can imagine. Help us to trust You as we walk life’s path. Amen.

Genesis 24:46 “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:39 “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’

Today I want to focus on the servant’s prayer in verse 42: “Lord, … if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come.” “Lord, if you will…” is important phraseology, in my opinion. “If you can” would be inappropriate because God *can* do anything. He is sovereign in heaven and earth. But “if you will” leaves room for God to work.

Genesis 24:40 “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. 

Don’t get me wrong–praying “Lord, if you will…” is not easy. I could give you two prayers at the moment that are in the forefront of my prayers that I really, really, really hope that the Lord grants. I know that He can. But I also know that His thoughts are not like my thoughts and His ways are far beyond anything I could imagine (Is 55:8). I want what feels like the best path. He wants the right path for me.

Genesis 24:41 You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’

Precious Savior, You want for us dreams that are beyond anything we can imagine. Help us to pray in Your will. And when Your will does not match our own, help us to trust that You love us more than we are capable of loving and Your plan is somehow greater than any plan we could create (even if we cannot yet understand it). Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 24:42 “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 

Commentary says the word master is used 22 times in this chapter. Just a quick glance at today’s verses, we see that in verse 34, he designates himself as Abraham’s servant and in all three of the other verses, he makes it clear that he is not in charge, his master is and he is doing as his master asked.

Genesis 24:35 The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 

This philosophy of servant-leadership, of putting ourselves in a position of serving as Christ’s hands and feet, of doing the work but pointing the spotlight to Christ is clearly seen in Galatians 2:20 “not I, but Christ”. Personally, shamefully, I struggle a bit here. I crave acknowledgement of the work I’ve done. It’s a part of myself I have been working to tame. Jesus, Help me.

Genesis 24:36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. 

Precious Savior, I am Yours, body and spirit. Use me as You will. Direct me so I can be Your hands and feet. Help me to conquer that side of myself that craves acknowledgement, recognition for the work that I do. Help me to point others to You. You are the reason I am who I am, I do what I do. Help me to be humble and faithful. Always. Amen.

Genesis 24:37-38 And my master made me swear an oath, and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. 

Commentary makes me question Laban’s motives here. When I read it, I thought Laban reacted the way that he did because he recognized that the servant was “blessed by the Lord” and since the servant favored his sister, he was eager to show him hospitality and appreciation.

Genesis 24:31 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,” he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

Commentary says Laban saw the riches the servant brought, was motivated by what kind of deal he could broker, not by hospitality or thankfulness or any positive emotion, and responded warmly as a way to seal a positive deal for himself (and, presumably, his sister and family).

Genesis 24:32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. 

Precious Savior, You know our hearts. Help me, in every situation, to react from a place of love, kindness, compassion. Help me to strive to shine Your light and praise Your name. Help me seek to follow Your will for me. Help me not to be selfish or self seeking. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 24:33 Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.” “Then tell us,” Laban said.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 

I love a good analogy, and commentary contains a great analogy about verse 27, where the servant says that he was already in motion (one version says “on the way”) when God led him to Rebekah: “It is hard to steer a parked car.”

Genesis 24:27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

If we want God to use us, we have to be “on the way,” so that all He has to do is steer us while we are in motion. I really think that ties in perfectly with seeking, seeing, questioning, asking, investigating to try to discern God’s will in any given situation. If we are on the move, trying to see where He is leading us, trying to see if we are going in the right direction, He can nudge us any way He needs.

Genesis 24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.

Precious Savior, You know I love a good analogy. Thank You for putting this one on my radar this morning. Thank You that I can so clearly see what You need of me–to move, to seek, to investigate–so that You can guide me to where I can be Your hands and feet. Help me, always, to find You, to shine Your light. Amen.

Genesis 24:29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:2 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

Lord, Sometimes we want what we want so badly that we do everything we can to make it happen. When it doesn’t happen, we fall apart because we have planned and worked so carefully to make our plan a success. Help us to know the difference between doing what You need us to to accomplish Your will and acting out of stubbornness to achieve our own.

Genesis 24:22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. 

You have told us in Isaiah 55:8, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts…And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” “Not yet” is not a no. “Your way is not my way” is not a no. And I’ve lived long enough to know that Your plans are so much bigger than anything we can imagine. Help us as we try to discern Your will in our lives.

Genesis 24:23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

Precious Savior, Forgive us when we get ahead of You. Forgive us when we are so eager that we don’t take time to listen and wait on Your will. Help us to seek Your will in our lives, to pray and wait, listen and obey, to know that You love us more than we are capable of loving and that Your plan, no matter how different, is so much greater than anything we can imagine for ourselves. Amen.

Genesis 24:24-25 She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”

Have a blessed day.