What does it say?
Abraham sent his oldest and most trusted servant to take a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives but not from the Canaanites. Abraham believed that the Lord would guide his servant to the woman whom Isaac would marry. Abraham’s servant took 10 camels and a variety of goods to the city of Nahor, Abraham’s brother; when he arrived at the well, he asked the Lord to reveal the woman when she showed him kindness by offering him and his camels water from the well. Rebekah was Isaac’s second cousin and she came to draw water which she offered to Abraham’s servant and she watered his camels. He gave her jewelry and asked if he might lodge with her family and she gladly agreed. Laban, Rebekah’s brother took care of the man’s needs, feeding and bedding his camels, and when they all sat down to eat a meal together, the man revealed his purpose for coming. He also revealed his prayer by the fountain of water regarding the woman who would show him kindness by giving him a drink of water from her jar, also drawing water for his camels. He told them while he was yet praying these things to the Lord Rebekah arrived and did as he asked the Lord; therefore, he worshiped the Lord on the spot. Laban, Rebekah’s brother and Bethuel, her mother saw Rebekah’s calling as from the Lord; therefore, they would not question it. The servant of Abraham feasted with Rebekah’s brother and mother along with the men who came with him. He also gave to Rebekah, Laban and Bethuel gifts. Rebekah willingly departed her family to become the wife of Isaac and her family gave their blessing that she might prosper in the marriage. The servant brought Rebekah to Isaac and he loved her and took her as his wife. Abraham took a wife named Keturah after Sarah’s death; she bore him six sons but only Isaac, the son of Sarah received the inheritance. Abraham died at the age of one hundred and seventy-five; Ishmael and Isaac together buried him in the cave with Sarah. Ishmael settled east of Egypt and lived one hundred and thirty-seven years, his settling was in defiance of his relatives. Rebekah gave birth to twin boys after a difficult pregnancy and the Lord told her that two nations would come forth from her womb. Esau was a hunter and Jacob stayed near the tents; Esau was Isaac’s favorite and Jacob was Rebekah’s favorite; Esau sold Jacob his birth rite for a bite of stew.
What shall I do?
Abraham’s servant was given a great responsibility and did what he was assigned to do, for which he received no glory because he is unnamed in the story. Though Abraham had a son from Hagar, Sarah’s maid, and took another wife, Keturah after Sarah’s death, he was buried with Sarah, his one true bride. Marriage is between one man and one woman for life. Children might come from fornication, adultery, or multiple marriages but only one marriage is from the Lord. I have been studying how the gospel spread during the first three centuries of the church. It was not spread by the apostolic writers that followed after the apostles, but was spread by men and women unnamed in the historical record. They received no glory, for the glory belongs solely to the Lord. First, I shall serve the Lord, expecting nothing in return. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:5, “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” I have already been given what I do not deserve. I have the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Second, I shall love Darlene, the wife of my youth, all the days of my life on earth. She was given to me as a wife from the Lord. She is my one true bride and there will never be another. I shall love her always, as I love myself.
