FILED UNDER
POSTED ON
A humbled and open heart is fertile soil for God’s seeds of wisdom. Establishing deeper roots requires analyzing God’s word to discover truths, values, and lessons for application to our lives. Periodically, a scripture or passage calls for further exploration, like Genesis 24:45-58.
45 “Before I had finished praying in my heart, I saw Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ So I drank, and then she watered the camels.
47 “Then I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, and my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
48 “Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. 49 So tell me—will you or won’t you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no, and then I’ll know what to do next.”
50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord. 53 Then he brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and presented them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother. 54 Then they ate their meal, and the servant and the men with him stayed there overnight.
But early the next morning, Abraham’s servant said, “Send me back to my master.”
55 “But we want Rebekah to stay with us at least ten days,” her brother and mother said. “Then she can go.”
56 But he said, “Don’t delay me. The Lord has made my mission successful; now send me back so I can return to my master.”
57 “Well,” they said, “we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks.” 58 So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her.
And she replied, “Yes, I will go.
Genesis 24:45-58 NLT
Our Deeper Roots passage in Genesis shows that when God is moving, we need to be ready to move. Our scripture selection opens with Abraham’s servant, Eliezer, recounting what led him to Rebekah at the well. Prior to their encounter, the servant prayed to the Lord for a girl who would water his camels and show kindness to his master. And then comes, Rebekah, who not only waters the camels but is a relative of Abraham. She met all of the search criteria that he was looking for. Eliezer went with her to her family’s home, and he was met with even more hospitality. As Abraham’s servant recounted the mission of finding a wife for Isaac, it becomes clear that God has orchestrated all of this. And now that the servant has found Rebekah, he’s ready to return to his master, but her brother and her mother wanted her to stay for 10 days before she left. They decided to ask Rebekah what she wanted to do and she responded that she would go with Eliezer.
After reading Genesis 24, it’s easy to see how many things had to line up for Eliezer. The key piece was that Eliezer faithfully sought God all along his journey. And God provided in ways that only He can. This chapter shows God’s providence. Providence is when God directs provision with compassionate wisdom. Even when we don’t see God, He’s still behind the scenes working. After hearing Eliezer recount the events of his journey, everyone could tell God’s hand was in this. But only Eliezer and Rebekah recognized the urgency of moving forward.
The story of Rebekah shows that God was visible even when He wasn’t visible. It demonstrates how God is constantly moving behind the scenes to provide exactly what is needed by His children. When God is moving, it’s best to jump all in. This story is a reminder to be aware of God’s hand moving and to be willing to move too. It is very possible to be in a move and miss the move of God. Today’s Deeper Roots is a reminder, ‘Don’t miss out on a move of God’.
Share this post
I know that most people are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, but December always reminds me to slow down and reflect. It’s something about the cold weather that forces me to cozy up and sit still… I believe the stillness opens
With a little over 30 days left in the year, it’s easy to put a pin in new ideas or projects until the new year. As tempting as enjoying the pause may be, there are some things that we have been called to do that require our action now. Spiritual callings require our steadfast attention, not temporary devotion when our schedules allow. In this season, the Lord has been challenging me to finish well.
In a culture that values purpose and spiritual gifting, it’s interesting how quickly we toss them to the side when we’re fatigued or distracted. We yield to the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We abandon how we show up out of convenience; missing opportunities to share the Gospel or be the hands and feet of Christ. Simply put, we fail to finish well.
El Roi. The God who sees me. When we talk about Hagar, we often refer to this tender exchange. This exact moment in the wilderness when she encounters God… when she accepts correction and instruction to return to a tense situation… when she receives the promise concerning the son in her womb… when she recognizes that she is seen and known by name. Yes, this is a pivotal moment, marked with such a significant name, and as I began to walk through Hagar’s story, to be seen, is so much deeper than watching someone visually.
“Are you going to try for another one?”
The ink on our marriage certificate wasn’t even dry before people began to ask when my husband and I were planning on having children. This seemingly innocent question was often met with ‘we don’t know’ outwardly, but inwardly it reinforced the shame of not being able to conceive a child.
I am the one in four.
If you or someone close to you is in need, we would be honored to lift you up in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer to bring peace, comfort, and reassurance during times of hardship. Our community is ready to join together and pray as we trust in God’s love and unending grace.
