“Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”” (Genesis 24:50–51, ESV)
The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. When do you know something is God’s will and whim? How do you stand in the assurance that the circumstances that have unfolded before you are, in fact, God’s desire for your life? What do we need to have before we will agree that the thing is of the Lord?
For Laban and Bethuel, there was no doubt that, once the story had been unpacked for him, God had led through it all. While it meant that Rebekah would never be seen again by her family and that she would make her home 1,000 miles to the West, the reality of God’s will was so strong all of that was set aside to fulfill the plan of God.
What so moved Rebekah and her family to agree to such a bizarre arrangement that sent her far from home to marry a man she had never met with a stranger she had only encountered a few hours before? Once we understand the answer to that question, we will have the answers to ours.
Rebekah and her family understood this endeavor was bathed in prayer and fashioned in the heart of a man of God, Abraham. He was family and it was obvious to all that God had blessed him since his servant was here lavishing gifts upon them.
Second, the process by which the servant chose to select the right woman, the first woman to sacrifice the time and effort to water their camels, was unique in its nature. Abraham’s servant hadn’t chosen the common ways to find a wife by beauty or riches. He was looking for a woman of character and the display of her nature would be seen in her voluntary and generous actions.
Ultimately, the timing and specificity of the answer to this servant’s plan and prayer wooed everyone to see God’s hand. God moved in response to a very specific request.
Today, as you seek God’s leading by faith, get specific, and wait for God to respond to your request. Truly there will be no doubt then!
Faith Filled Fridays hope to boost your trust in God and accelerate your daring and courage in everyday life. Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, writes each encouragement out of a heart that has known both great joy and great loss – his wife of 38 years, 5 months and 2 days was promoted to Heaven on November 11, 2017. Through every experience, God has proven Himself more than faithful and trustworthy. He welcomes your comments below.
