Remember gym class when you were in elementary school? Maybe you were like me, being one of the last kids picked. I want you to feel the exact opposite today as we continue our journey. We’re on a mission to discover just how loved we are, how very much God wants us, how He chose us. You’re about to feel really loved.
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Transcription:
Remember gym class when you were in elementary school and maybe you were like me, one of the last kids picked. I want you to feel the exact opposite today as we continue our journey. We’re on a mission to discover just how loved we are, how very much God wants us, how he chose us. Hi, it’s Erica. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. You’re about to feel really loved. Before we go back to the beginning, literally, because we’re going to be reading an incredible story from Genesis, the first book of the Bible in moments, I want to make a quick pit stop. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians chapter one, verses four and five,
Even before he made the world, the apostle Paul wrote, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes, God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
You have been chosen and it’s the very reason I selected this particular love story in the Bible. Join me in the beginning, Genesis chapter 24, starting in verse one.
Abraham was now a very old man, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. One day, Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh.
That’s how they did it in those days.
Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives and find a wife there for my son Isaac. The servant asked, but what if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from? No,
That’s an exclamation point!
Abraham responded, be careful never to take my son there for the Lord, the God of heaven who took me from my father’s house and my native land solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son. If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine. But under no circumstances are you to take my son there.
Abraham couldn’t have been clearer.
So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions. Then he loaded 10 of Abraham’s camels with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master, and he traveled to distant Aram Naharaim. Then he went to the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled. He made the camel’s kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening and the women were coming out to draw water. Oh Lord, God of my master Abraham, he prayed, Please give me success today and show unfailing love to my master Abraham. See, I am standing here beside this spring and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. This is my request. I will ask one of them, Please give me a drink from your jug. If she says yes, have a drink and I will water your camels too, Let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master.
Now, this is my favorite part of this love story in the Bible.
Before he had finished praying,
picking it up in verse 15,
he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother, Nahor and his wife Milcah. Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug and came up again. Running over to her, the servant said, please give me a little drink of water from your jug.
I’m sure he was on the edge of the seat of his camel, right? <laugh>?
Yes, my Lord. She answered, have a drink, and she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. When she had given him a drink, she said, I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they’ve had enough to drink. So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels. The servant watched her in silence, wondering whether or not the Lord had given him success in his mission. Then at last when the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists. Whose daughter are you? He asked, and please tell me, would your father have any room to put us up for the night? I am the daughter of Bethuel. She replied, my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah. Yes, we have plenty of straw and feed for the camels and we have room for guests. The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. Praise the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, He said. The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives. The young woman ran home to tell her family everything that had happened. Now, Rebecca had a brother named Laban who ran out to meet the man at the spring. He seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said. So, he rushed out to the spring where the man was still standing beside his camels. Laban said to him, come and stay with us. You who are blessed by the Lord, why are you standing here outside the town when I have a room ready for you, and a place prepared for the camels? So the man went home with Laban and Laban, unloaded the camels, gave him straw for their bedding, fed them and provided water for the man and the camel drivers to wash their feet. Then food was served, but Abraham’s servant said, I don’t want to eat until I’ve told you why I’ve come. Alright, Laban said, tell us.
Next time you and I are going to dive into part two of this incredible story. But until then, remember, just as Rebekah was chosen for Isaac, the Lord has chosen you for himself. You are loved.
Thank you so much for listening to the Bible for Busy People. If you need prayer or you’re ready to go a little deeper in your faith, we’ve posted some resources for you in our show notes. We’d love for you to share this podcast with a friend and leave us a review. It helps us reach even more people with the hope of Jesus. This podcast is part of Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and live in God’s purpose for your life.
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