Genesis 24 (2) - Willingness and obedience

Father God, we thank you for the Word. We thank you for Your love that is reflected in Christ, Your One and Only Son. What love that we get to be called sons of God and co-heirs of God with Christ because of the new covenant found in the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

Right now, we come in agreement and say may Your holy Name King of Kings and LORD of LORDS be magnified over all the ends of the earth, in every nation, community, family and every individual life as well in the name of Jesus. We thank you for today's Word and ask that You speak to us LORD, give us understanding of Your will for each one of our lives and for such a time as this in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

Today's post is a continuation of Genesis chapter 24. In previous blog post, we looked at Abraham's servant who was still determining whether the LORD God had made his way successful after he met Rebekah by the well who happened to give him some water to drink and feed his camels, just like he had requested the LORD God in the place of prayer. However, Abraham's servant still had to determine whether Rebekah was a part of Abraham's family to which she later admitted that she was! (Genesis 24:24).

Abraham's servant in thanksgiving bowed down and worshipped the LORD and said, "Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren." (Genesis 24:27).

Later on, we see Abraham's servant receiving a warm welcome from Laban, Rebekah's brother and also from other family members. Before he could get comfortable, he requested to first let them know the reason behind his journey. He then proceeds to narrate the story from when Abraham sent him, the prayer that he prayed to God and how the LORD answered his request before he completed saying his prayer. He then asked Laban and Bethuel (Rebekah's father) if they consent to Rebekah's departure to marry Isaac, Abraham's son.

They both responded "The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you either bad or good." (Genesis 24:50 NKJV). Bethuel and Laban's response is a good illustration of the reverential fear that these two men had for the LORD God.

Despite the ungodliness that was in Abraham's father's house, Bethuel and Laban could not speak good or bad because they knew better than to stand in the way of a plan that was clearly orchestrated by God.

In the book of Acts, we see the great and mighty works that Christ did through the early church especially with the apostles who were entrusted to spread the gospel over all the ends of the earth. However, not everyone was too happy with this gospel sharing especially the religious leaders who opposed them on various occasions. On one occasion, we see the high Priest at the time who warned the other religious leaders to take heed to how they treated the apostles. He said in Acts 5:35-39 (NKJV)

"Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For sometime ago, Theudas rose up claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it - lest you even be found to fight against God."

Despite the callousness of heart in these religious leaders, these men did not need a class or personal encounter to know that God had to be honored as the Mighty Creator of heaven and earth and the God of all flesh. The last thing they wanted was to be found to fight against God. Indeed and truly, despite the persecution these apostles faced, it also was clear and is still clear that the word of God cannot be stopped as the church of Jesus Christ continued to increase mightily then as it still is doing today.

We can see that Laban and Bethuel had this understanding as well because they chose to walk in reverence and obedience to God's instruction which in this case was walking in agreement with Rebekah's decision to go away in marriage to Abraham's son, Isaac.

This chapter also reveals a willingness on Rebekah's part to align herself to God's will and purpose for her life. Not only did God make Abraham's servant's way prosperous but we also see that Rebekah's heart was ready. She was not co-erced into making a decision. This aspect is important because God honors free will and as much as obedience is good, it is also equally important that you are both willing and obedient to God's instruction.

In Isaiah 1:19 NKJV, the LORD says, "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land."

The Oxford Dictionary describes willing as "ready, eager or prepared to do something."

The Cambridge dictionary defines willing as "to be happy to do something if it is needed." In both of these instances, we definitely see not only an approachable, ready, eager, prepared, obedient Rebekah, but also a willing one. When her family wished for her to spend an extra ten days before leaving with Abraham's servant, they asked her if she would go with this man to which she responded, "I will go." (Genesis 24:58).

Rebekah chose God's will for her life without hesistation despite the love she had for her family. She departed her home with a blessing "Our sister may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them." (Genesis 24:60).

At the end of this chapter, Isaac and Rebekah officially meet each other. Genesis 24:67 reads, "Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."

My question for you is, where do you need to be willing and obedient today (not tomorrow!) to fully experience God's blessings for your life?

I'll end with this Word found in Philippians 2:13 AMP

"For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure."

AMEN. Thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: In the same way, God works in His children by giving them the will and desire to receive and walk in obedience to His Son Christ Jesus who washes away all their sins and gives them a brand new life where you will live and abide eternally in God's presence while experiencing all the blessings He has for them.

If you would like to become a child of God as well; I invite you to make this confession:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever." AMEN.

Congratulations, by grace you are saved and are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old life has passed away and you have received the free gift of salvation into your life (2 Corinthians 5:17) where you get to freely access everything I've shared in this post. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen.

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