“The Lord has led me...”
Yesterday, I read through Genesis 24.
And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had...you will...go to my country and go to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac....and [the servant] arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor...and he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water...[He prayed for] the young woman to whom [he would] say, ‘Please let down that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant, Isaac...[and] Rebekah...born to...son of Milcah...came out. Then the servant ran to meet her...she quickly emptied her jar into the trough...[and the servant] took a gold ring...and two bracelets [and asked for her family to whom he retold his story]...[and Rebekah] said, “I will go.” Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way...Isaac had returned from Beer-laha-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and...Rebekah lifted up her eyes...took her veil and covered herself...and she became his wife, and he loved her.
I love this story.
There is so much treasure to be had by us who are unmarried, the entirety of this story resting on obedience and prayer and relationship with God.
Isaac was at Beer-lahai-roi, the “well of The Living One Who sees me.” He was with God, and even when he left the well, even when he was in Negeb—the parched land, he was meditating, tuning in with God. That’s where he was when Rebekah came to him, he was going about his daily business, being in an intimate relationship with the Father, seeking Him out.
Rebekah was a woman quick to do her womanly duties, and to help out a man, a stranger, and his camels. Not only was she quick to be gracious, but her grace and willingness to help others were abounding.
Rebekah’s family didn’t question God’s purpose for their daughter. They love her—you can tell, because they try to keep her a little longer, but ultimately, they let her make the decision to leave and don’t postpone God’s calling on her life.
Eliezer the servant is in constant connection with God, not making a decision without Him. Not missing an opportunity to praise Him every step of the way. Abraham surely trusted the right person with a most important decision.
Abraham loved the Lord and kept Him in mind while also keeping his son’s well-being.
God was working in the background to bring Isaac and Rebekah together. The father sent for her to be brought to him. Isaac wasn’t looking for her. Rebekah wasn’t looking for a husband. The father was working to honor them, calculating their destiny. They didn’t even know it. And what were they doing in the meantime? Both parties were loving God, living their day-to-day lives, and, bam, they were brought together. It happened at the right time, at the right place, by two people pursuing God.
God said to me, “Jamie, baby, I got this, and you don’t even know. You don’t need to know. You just need to keep living life...and the greatest part about it is you’re fulfilled no matter what end you meet, for you already have Me, and you will always have Me. The rest of life is a surprise waiting to happen...just have your veil ready.”
