Laban and his father Bethuel have heard the story of the
servant of Abraham and his prayer and have believed that the will of God is
being done so they offer no personal opinion on the matter of Rebekah being
given to the son of Abraham. After
receiving gifts, however, the next morning Laban and his mother desire the
servant to remain with them ten days, not an unreasonable request that they be
allowed to say goodbye to Rebekah who will likely not come back to them
again. Rebekah, however, is willing to
go immediately. Isaac is smitten. In fact, this is the first time we are told
that someone loves his wife. The first
time the word love appears in Scripture is in Genesis 22, when God tells
Abraham to take his son, Isaac, whom he loves, and sacrifice him (sound
familiar – the only son, the beloved, is to be sacrificed).
Jesus loved the rich young man. He looked at him and loved him. The young man knew in his heart that he
lacked something, he wanted to know how to get the inheritance of eternal
life. He was apparently a religious man,
affirming that he had kept the commandments from his youth. In spite of his religious observances he
still felt that he was not quite there and Jesus saw it when He looked at him,
there was something in his life more important than obtaining what he sought,
his wealth. This is the only time we see
Jesus offering someone an opportunity to follow Him and being rejected. The cost to follow Jesus here is clear, the
renunciation of every other attachment.
Rebekah was willing to go immediately, the rich young man, not so much.
“The Lord knows who are His.” Could there be anything more wonderful than
to know you are the Lord’s? To be His is
to be beloved by Him, loved enough that He sent His only Son to die for
you. If we begin from that point of
view, that He died for us, we will do all in our power to follow where He leads
and to live for Him. As we have been
given this great and undeserved gift, let us lay aside all those things that
would hold us back from chasing after Him.
What is it in your life that holds you back from wholeheartedly
following after Jesus? What compelling
vision is there in your life that keeps you from pursuing His vision? Are you willing to be like Rebekah, who
apparently wasn’t poor herself as she had a retinue of women who went with her,
to go when called? Are you interested
like the rich young man but unwilling to leave behind all you have to receive all
He offers?
Oh sing to the LORD a
new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
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