The Generosity of Rebekah

    In Genesis 24 it says that Abraham had his chief servant go to Abraham's homeland to look for a wife for his son Isaac.  The servant asked God to show him a sign.  It says that he prayed in verse 12-14-

 “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. ¹³ See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴ May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” NIV


   The servant hadn't even stopped talking and Rebekah shows up.  And Rebekah goes about fulfilling exactly word for word what the servant asked God to show him.  A couple of things struck me about this.  One was that this servant has been traveling for a while and Rebekah does not know him and who he is.  For all she knows they could be thieves.  But, she offers to water their camels.  This was a big job.  The men stood around and watched her do it too.  Nobody helped her.  It was an incredibly generous thing for Rebekah to do.  She didn't know they were going to turn around and offer her a wedding ring to a wealthy family.  For all she knew they were getting on their camels and moving on and she would never see them again.

   There are numerous passages in the Bible that tells us that there is a reward for those who remember those who are in need and who are generous.  We can't always respond to all needs.  Be we need to be aware of what we can do.  Rebekah was aware of a group of men who had traveled a long ways and aware that she had the time to help them with their flock and took the time to do it.  It was not an easy thing to do.  It took time to do it.  She didn't do it expecting a big reward.  If she hadn't said those words though we wouldn't know who she was today.  It was the thing that set her apart from the rest of the ladies that day that came to draw water from that well.  Moments later, the servant would be put a big gold braclet on her wrist and he would begin to reveal to her who he was.  It is a great story.  Check it out in Genesis 24.

"The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered." Proverbs 11:25, NASV

The Past Is Forgiven

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1, NIV

      In the book "Search for Significance" one of the lies that the devil likes to tell believers is that you can never change.  Therefore, he likes to suggest to us that it isn't worth the effort to continue to try to change because we will never become any better, stronger or overcome the obstacles of the past.  He does this often by reminding the believer of past mistakes.  With most of us, he has plenty of material to work with.  Times when we should have kept our mouth shut and did not.   Times when we got angry and lost our credibility and witness.  Times which we would rather forget.

        These are instances which we should bring to God to ask for forgiveness over.  In 1 John it says that if we say that we have not sinned then we call God a liar.  It is God who says that we have sinned.  Rather, 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins and ask God to forgive us, then based on his faithfulness he cleanses us and forgives us from all unrighteousness.  The key word there is all.  I don't have to worry about whether or not I have forgotten some sin like Martin Luther did as he agonized in prayer for hours worried that he had forgotten some sin that he didn't repent of.  I confess what I remember and by faith believe that God has forgiven me and believe Romans 8:1.

      I like how this is pictured in the Old Testament.  In the Old Testament, the outer part of the temple is made up of bronze instruments.  This is where the sacrifice took place.  Bronze was symbolic of judgment.  Everything there was a reminder of the judgment of God.  The person laid their hands on the sacrifice and it was slain for that person.  But, what the blood of bulls and goats could never do, Jesus did for us.  He took that judgment away forever.  So we never walk into a room of bronze again.

     The next room the person walked into was a room of gold.  There was no bronze present.  The gold signified the presence of God.  Everything, the table, the walls, the lamps, the instruments, the bowls, the snuffers, the candles, the plates, all of it was gold.  The light reflected the gold.  It must have been beautiful.  God spared no expense in this extravagent beauty to enjoy His people.   I like Romans 8:1 because it reminds me of this.  That while I am still in this earthly body and make mistakes that in God's eyes I am totally forgiven, washed clean by his blood and purified in his sight.  There is no more mention of judgment.  The one who accuses me is mentioning things that have been forgiven.  Not because of what I did, but because of what the Lamb of God did.

Waiting on God

"My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold, I shall not be shaken."

       I've mentioned on this blog before, that I am a frequently in God's waiting room waiting for something to happen that I am praying for.  This is a pet peeve of mine that I am not a patient person and that I hate to wait time.  In fact, I might go one step further and say if it might be the easiest way to get on my nerves.  I sit there thinking of all the things I need to do and want to do and could be doing and it really bothers me.

       Maybe that is why I seem to have relearn this lesson over and over again is that I have been such a poor student at it.  One thing I have realized is that God's time and mine are not the same.  God is content to show up one time and not early.  God is content not to hurry.  God is not in a panic like I am.  God doesn't have tunnel vision like I sometimes do.  God sees the big picture while I am in my own little world and see only one little piece.  While my little piece might be important, I have to trust God that he does see the whole big picture and knows what is best.

      "Trust in the Lord with You all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him. And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body, and refreshment to your bones."   Proverbs 3: 5-8

        One other thing is that I need to trust God when I do not see him at work.  Sometimes God is at work putting things into place even before we pray.  He knows what is going to happen even before the world began.  He knew what day you would pray and what you would say.  He knows what you would you would need before you did.  You have to realize your problem didn't surprise God.

        Also you have to trust God that sometimes advice comes from unexpected places.  I've sometimes had people who I didn't particularly like offer really good advice to me.  After considering what they had to say and getting over my first reaction to them I had to admit that what they said sounded good.  God doesn't play favorites.  Sometimes good advice can come from unexpected places if your open to it.  It doesn't always have to come from the pulpit.  I can remember when I worked retail back in 1992, I got turned down for a job offer in South Carolina that I really wanted.  A lady named Betty who I worked with saw that I was depressed and walked up to me and said "Where is your faith?" and shocked me.  But, she was right.  God closed that door for a reason.

       Also, sometimes God delays in answering a prayer because he has sometimes different in mine all together.  He wants us to spend more time in prayer about it.  I've had times when I had to spend more time in prayer about it and my desire changes over time.  By the time the door finally did open I no longer wanted to walk through it.  I saw the opportunity in a different light or another opportunity became available.  Sometimes when we get into a rush we can be making a big mistake.  God wants us to slow down and think about it before we make a mistake we will regret later.   I've had those experiences with jobs where one job looked good and then when it became available I didn't want it because I learned something about it that made me realize it was a bad decision.