Category: Genesis

Genesis 25:5-7 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east. Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years.

Abraham was not a perfect man, but the Bible and commentary both say he was a good man, a godly man, a man worth emulating. And once again, I am reminded that my idea of who God uses in the Bible is incredibly faulty. I still have a hard time squaring the fact that Abraham, fallible, faulty, human Abraham, is God’s righteous one.

Genesis 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.

Ultimately, it’s a good thing, this change in what I thought I knew. It means that God can use me, too–even with my messiness, my faults, my fallibility. It means that the fact that I’m not perfect, that I’m so very far from perfect doesn’t keep God from being able to use me if I will allow. Perfection is not a job requirement. In fact, I’m pretty sure perfection would make you unsuitable as God’s hands and feet.

Genesis 25:9-10 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 

Precious Savior, Even now, even after all my reading and studying, I am still surprised that Your people, the people You use, the people You call, aren’t perfect. They are human, messy, fallible. That fact brings me comfort, but I’m having trouble letting go of that paradigm. Help me–to let go of a false truth and to open myself up to being used as Your hands in feet wherever You need me. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi. 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 25:1 Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah.  

I have so many thoughts at the moment. One very angry thought is directed at the writers of commentary, which lobbed this landmine when talking about Abraham’s remarriage and the birth of his other children, citing those additional births as “…a further demonstration that in Abraham’s marriage to Sarah, whatever fertility problems that existed were on the part of Sarah, not Abraham.”

Genesis 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. 

I am certain that that statement was written by a man who never loved a woman who struggled with infertility and pregnancy loss. It is a callus, insensitive, infuriating statement. It serves no Biblical purpose. It has no Biblical support. I cannot fathom why anyone thought that was an illustrative, instructive statement. Its sole purpose seems to place infertility blame. Why? How does that shine God’s light? It does not!

Genesis 25:3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites.

Precious Savior, So many have known the heartbreak and pain of infertility issues and pregnancy loss. Sarah, herself, knew that pain, and we saw the consequences (with Hagar and Ismael) of what happened when she tried to take matters into her own hands. Please be with all those who are stuck in the “blame game” of infertility, with all those who are dealing with the heartbreak that comes with infertility and pregnancy loss. Please help them, like Sarah and Abraham so long ago, to place their hope in You alone. Amen.

Genesis 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 

Sarah, Isaac’s mother, died three years before Isaac met and married Rebekah. Isaac was 40 years old at the time of this scripture. According to Jewish tradition, Rebekah was 14 when she married Isaac. Let that sink in a minute.

Genesis 24:65 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.

This knowledge sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole this morning. According to a very quick Google search, it was not unusual for older men to marry younger women in the Bible. Boaz and Ruth are cited as an example. Boaz is 80. Ruth is 40. But Rebekah is so young. That’s a sticking point for me.

Genesis 24:66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 

Precious Savior, It is so easy to judge according to the world’s moral compass. Rebekah is only 14, yet she marries Isaac, 40, and becomes “one of the most prominent women in the Bible.” I still don’t like the age gap. It’s seriously icky, yet it reminds me that 1. There were completely different cultural norms in Biblical times and 2. You can work all things for the good of those who love You, who are called according to Your purpose (Rom8:28). Thank You that Your ways are far beyond anything I can imagine (Is 55:8). Amen.

Genesis 24:67 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.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:60 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.”

Once again I am scratching my head at commentary, particularly the comment that Rebekah loved Isaac without ever seeing him. I for one see no support for that statement in these lines. However, commentary does talk about God being outside of our feelings, and that is an idea that absolutely resonates with me.

Genesis 24:61 Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

Jesus is bigger, greater than my feelings, and I say that as a deeply emotional being. He doesn’t get caught up in my passions, my anxieties, my bitterness, my anger. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). My emotions are not. So when the turbulence of my emotions are bringing me to my knees, I know I need to stand on Christ the solid rock. I can trust His firm foundation. The same cannot be said for my emotions.

Genesis 24:62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the wisdom of knowing that You are greater than my emotions, You are bigger than my fears, You are more powerful than any problem I face. My emotions can lead me astray. You never will. Thank You. Help me to trust You. Always. Amen.

Genesis 24:63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 24:56 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.”

First of all, I want to say how thankful I am that they actually asked Rebekah whether she wanted to go, especially since they already accepted payment and sealed the deal on her behalf. I’m glad they asked. I’m glad she consented. I wonder what would have happened if she had said no.

Genesis 24:57 Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.” 

Second, commentary says that when you decide to follow God’s path, the world will celebrate you but will also try to detain you, keep you from your goal. The implication of that comment is that the brother and the mother were trying to delay Rebekah’s godly choice with their request she stay ten more days or so, which is different from what the same commentary implied yesterday. Interesting.

Genesis 24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she said.

Precious Savior, Thank You that I can read commentary, see what it has to say, hold it up against what I know, what I believe, seek additional support or information, and accept or reject that commentary. Thank You that I don’t read in a vacuum and that I have the intelligence to evaluate multiple sources and make up my own mind. Help me, always, to draw closer to You. Amen.

Genesis 24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.

Have a blessed day.

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.