On January 1 our Covenant Groups resumed meeting after Christmas breaks, and began reading Genesis. We started our groups reading last October with the New Testament and finished up December 31 in Revelation. Now we start back at the beginning. My last post shared the fruits of our extraordinary journey through the word together. Now we get into the saga of Israel - and meet the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob", as God of the Old Testament has been labeled.
But God is also the God of Sarah and Rebekah, Rachel and Dinah. God is the God of all the servants of these patriarchs, their wives and children. God is God of all the nations and even the enemies of Israel, who follow other gods. As we read we must not forget the encounters these people had with God, and their stories that complete the full understanding of the scope of awesome God's love and promise.
My husband in his reading in Genesis this week was struck by the story in Genesis 24 of Abraham's oldest and beloved servant, whom Abraham sent to find a wife for his son Isaac. Ron was struck by the servant's faithfulness and obedience, his courage and tenacity, his devotion to God and his master and his spiritual disciplines. He was taken by his love.
Look what he discovered: 22:9 He took a solemn oath to follow Abraham's instructions. He trusted God who sent an angel to lead and protect his journey (verses 6-8). In verse 11, he made all bow to God in reverence. In verse 12 he began his duty in prayer, "O Lord God of my Master, give me success and show kindness to Abraham." He prayed for his master, his duty and his success. He was diplomatic and respectful with Rebekah's family. He gave God the glory for his success when he found Rebekah in verse 26. He never asked for anything in return - he had the best interest of others first and foremost. And he must have been trustworthy and safe, for Rebekah went with him back to Isaac; he brought her to Isaac himself. I imagine he stood near them, beeming, as Isaac made her his wife, for "he loved her very much, and she was comfort to him after the death of his mother." The perfect mate.
My husband found the story very romantic - remembering the God who had brought us together through friends and circumstances 22 years ago. Friends who cared about us and wanted the best for us. Servants really who are part of our love story. There are only a few like this in the Bible stories - who complete the love story, smaller characters, used by God. Only a few who have obedience and others' well-being as their only motives. Who are for God, and not against Him. It is not so with many other characters we meet on the pages of the Old Testament. It is not always so in our own lives.
May we discover the real and faithful servants in our lives - who follow God and lead us straight into the arms of God and others who would help us grow in faith, love and devotion to our Great Lover.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
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