Day 12: Isaac and Rebekah

Genesis 24:1-67 Wishing to avoid intermarriage with the local Canaanites and the resulting assimilation with the PAGAN CULTURE, Abraham sent his chief servant to Mesopotamia to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Marriages often were arranged between the heads of households. The Providential hand of God is clear throughout the narrative. (CCC 303, 1633-1637)

Gen 24:2 Put your hand under my thigh: The servant carries out this particularly firm oath with extraordinary faith and trust, very much in the model of Abraham himself. An oath can be undertaken only for serious matters and with firm intent and purpose. Breaking an oath is the SIN OF PERJURY. (CCC 2149-1255)

Gen 24:55-59 Even in arranged marriages, the daughter had the option of remaining with her own family for a while. By not exercising this option and leaving her home with the servant, Rebekah showed her ardent desire to FULFILL GOD’S WILL. (CCC 64)

Gen 24:63 Went out to meditate: Meditation is prayer that seeks to understand the meaning of GOD’S REVELATION AND HIS WILL; connected to meditation is a humble plea for strength to FULFILL God’s will. Christians are called to meditate habitually on the Word of God. (CCC 2705-2708)

Job 13:1-28 As Job continued, he framed his argument almost as if he were in a court of law. He and his opponents presented their cases before God. If Job was guilty of something deserving such punishment, he wanted to know the precise charges.

Ch 14:1-22 Every human person-EXCEPT MARY IN HER IMMACULATE CONCEPTION-suffers from a wounded nature due to Original Sin. This fallen nature is exhibited by passions and appetites that are difficult to control; furthermore, every person is prone to sickness, disease, and hardship. Job expressed hope that God would purify and renew the human condition after death. Job’s situation and words beg the question of the redemptive value of suffering. (CCC 618, 1264, 1502, 2515)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)

• It’s interesting how powerfully we rely on God’s Grace

• It’s interesting how necessary our dependence is upon what God does in our lives

• The story of Abraham’s servant finding a wife for Isaac is ALL about God’s Providence 

• It is all about the depth of our need

• Imagine if you will, the servant goes to a far-off land where he doesn’t know anyone and had never been there before

• Despite that, God is present and Abraham told the servant that he would be guarded by an Angel of the Lord

• One of the things we are confident about is when we can see God’s Providence working

• The story of Isaac and Rebekah becoming husband and wife and they eventually become the father and mother of Israel, through their sons Jacob and Esau

• In retrospect we can see God’s Providence when the servant’s prayer was answered

• Clearly, Rebekah is intended for Isaac, and it seems so neat and clear

• We can praise God when we understand and see His Providence and we GET IT

• We see Him being active and know that He’s there

• PROVIDENCE IS ALWAYS WORKING EVEN WHEN WE DON’T SEE OR UNDERSTAND IT

• God’s Providence is working in every single situation

• Reading these stories of our forefathers in the faith it all seems so neat, tidy, and clean

• Yet, their lives on either side of the day of when Isaac and Rebekah meet are just like our lives

• They were walking in FAITH

• They were walking in TRUST 

• They were walking not knowing if this is the RIGHT DECISION

• They were walking not knowing if this is the RIGHT DIRECTION 

• They were walking and thinking, am I doing the RIGHT THING? (pretty much the story of my life)

• We don’t necessarily understand what God is doing in any situation 

• To continue to give God praise, when we don’t know or understand, is the challenge that we are called to do each and every day.

• Our lives can often resemble the life of our dear friend, Job

• He keeps coming back to the Lord, speaking from the heart

• “I would get it, I would understand if I have done something wrong that makes sense, but this doesn’t make sense”

• “It seems like you don’t care”

• “God, do you not care?”

• “Are you fighting against me, or are you fighting for me?”

• Remember to let Job’s questions be your questions and and to let your questions be Job’s questions

• It is ok to question God

• It is so important for each of us everyday to let our eyes, our heart, our attitude be shaped by Scripture

• It is one thing to praise God when we see His presence

• It is one thing to praise God when we understand His work, His Providence

• But, it is another thing to say I am in the darkness and I do not get this and yet you are calling me to keep putting one foot in front of the other 

• Today, that is what God is calling you to do

• Put one foot in front of the other

• Maybe today is the day where you can see His work, His presence, His providence and give God glory for that

• Maybe today is the day where you just have to keep walking forward in the darkness trusting Him and give God glory for that as well

• We never forget in the darkness what we knew was true in the light

• We walk with Isaac and Rebekah

• We walk with Job

• WE WALK IN FAITH

• We are all walking in faith together through The Bible and it is a great adventure for all of us

• Please be sure to pray for each other

• None of us can do this alone

• We have so far to go, but we are well on our way

• We have each other, and we do have the Grace of God which we absolutely need right now and every moment of our lives

• God Bless

Prayer by Fr. Mike: "God in Heaven, we thank you so much for your Word. We thank you for sharing your heart with us through your Scripture and we ask that you please help us always to see with your eyes, to love always with your heart. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen."