We're not going to read a psalm today. The next psalm in line is Psalm 22 - the Crucifixion psalm. We will want to give it lots of attention. But the Genesis 24 reading is long today. So, instead, we'll continue on in Genesis and we will also read Hebrews 11:1-19 to recap where we have been so far in Genesis. We'll meditate on Psalm 22 tomorrow. May God give us a Spirit of understanding and of wisdom!
Read Hebrews 11:1-19
Here we have a brief commentary on Genesis, seeing how faith plays into understanding all the events. The author of Hebrews begins with creation (which we believe by faith) and then praises some key figures for their faith: Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Hebrews 11 says more about Isaac and Jacob, and many other characters of faith, and we will get to those in due time!
But one verse that I need to draw your attention to is verse 6: "Without faith it is impossible to please God." If God is pleased with us, it is because we believe. But without faith, we could have power, riches, good works before men, service, generosity, kindness, humanitarian activities, and all kinds of earthly righteousness, but God would not be pleased because our hearts would still be far from him. But faith recognizes that God is pleased with us because of Jesus Christ. He has righteousness before God, and he gives it to us.
So we need to remember that neither Abraham nor Sarah, neither Isaac nor Jacob, nor anyone else pleased God because of their own good works. They pleased him because they believed. And faith is ignited by the Holy Spirit. It is God's work, not ours. Faith was first given to many of us in baptism. It was given to some others first in the hearing of the Word of God (adult converts). Faith comes by hearing the message!
We are reminded that these patriarchs pleased God because of faith, not by works, every time we see a fault of one of these characters. They were sinful, fallen humans like us. But yet, God did extraordinary things through them.
Read Genesis 24
There are so many things in this account for which we could give God praise: the faith of Abraham's servant, his trusting prayer, that God answered even while the servant was still speaking, that Rebekah was beautiful inside just as she was outside, that she was ready to serve and do the Lord's will, that her family was willing to let her go because they recognized the hand of the Lord, and probably much more! It is an incredible account.
What a contrast this account is when compared to the waiting and the struggles that Abraham and Sarah had to endure. There are times when, like Abraham and Sarah, we might wonder how long we must suffer and how much we must endure until God's plans begin to move us to a different place in life where we can find relief, even happiness and rejoicing. But then there are also times in our lives when we get an answer from God much sooner than we would have imagined, and it is a gracious answer that is cause for much rejoicing!
Oh, if only all of life were like that. The servant goes, he prays, God sends Rebekah, the deal is arranged, she comes with him, she meets Isaac, he loves her, and they live happily ever after! Well, not happily ever after, actually. There are troubles ahead.
But I think sometimes in our own lives our joy is tempered by "real life." Let it not be so! Though we all know troubles are ahead of us, instead of letting those troubles hamper our joy now, let's allow the joy now to overflow within us, and let it encourage us and inspire use even throughout the times of troubles.
Yes, maybe Rebekah will be encouraged when her sons give her grief to remember how God graciously answered prayer and gave her a husband to love and care for her. Maybe she will remember that God directed her ways and in such an incredible way provided for her.
May we also give thanks to God in times of joy, and not let that joy be squashed by fear and worry. God is good. And sometimes his plans come together in an instant. May joy over his gracious work give us peace and comfort in times of waiting.
Ask Yourself:
What were some times in my life when prayers were answered instantly, and God's gracious hand was clearly visible?
What were some times in my life when I wondered if God was at work at all?
How can I use my stories of God's answered prayers in my life to encourage another who is struggling, waiting, hurting?
Pray:
Lord, Thee I love with all my heart;
I pray Thee, ne'er from me depart, With tender mercy cheer me.
Earth has no pleasure I would share.
Yea, heav'n itself were void and bare If Thou, Lord, wert not near me.
And should my heart for sorrow break,
My trust in Thee can nothing shake.
Thou art the portion I have sought;
Thy precious blood my soul has bought.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord,
Forsake me not! I trust Thy Word.
(LSB 708:1, Public Domain)
Study with me tomorrow,
Pastor Jon
Soli Deo Gloria!
How bad is it that I read that entire Genesis section and all I can think about is the gold ring that Rebekah put in her nose. Did women pierce their noses back then? Oh fun.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Hebrews goes, I wonder how often I have had faith like the men described. Is it more often than I think, or is it even less than I imagine. I guess, I imagine that when it came to the end of Abraham's life, he did not look back and see how faithful he was. As a human, he probably looked back at how doubtful he was. "I should have trusted God all along," I often say. Maybe, like Abraham, we are.
I am.
ReplyDeleteI should proofread before clicking the post button.
Ha ha ha! Curiosity - it's human nature I guess. I too spent a few moments wondering if he pierced her nose right then and there, or traded out a cheap one for a gold one, or if it was some sort of a clip-on. Can you imagine being her dad? Your daughter, now a young women, goes out to fetch a pail of water, and comes back with a nose ring!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure some brilliant scholar knows what that all means, and what the practices of the day were. But I have no Concordia Commentary on Genesis yet!
But regarding faith - I think we would be shocked to be shown all at once how many times we failed, and also how many times we trusted with unwaivering faith. We take the resposibility for the failures. God gets the credit for the strength.
Glory to God.