Living in the Spirit
July 4, 2017
Scripture Reading: Genesis 24:34-36, 42-49, 58-67
And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’ So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
‘May you, our sister, become
thousands of myriads;
may your offspring gain possession
of the gates of their foes.’
Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. –Genesis 24:58-61
Arranged marriages seem a little strange to us but they still happen in the world. I do not know how much of a choice Rebekah really had, but it seemed to be her decision. My guess is she and her mother had some long talks weighing the pros and cons. Marriage and bearing children were her culturally designation destiny.
I had wondered how my family members felt when they got on that ship to come to America aware they most likely would never see their loved ones who remained in the homeland ever again. I thought the same thing about family who traveled west in the USA until I found records where some aunts living in Pennsylvania visited Illinois in the 1840’s. We don’t think much about such a trip now. It was a major event then.
What Rebekah did was step out in faith to leave her family and travel to a new life. We are called in both small and large ways to step out in faith, move out of our comfort zones in service to God. It may mean interacting with strangers who become new friends, it may mean traveling to places far away or simply driving to the elementary school a few blocks from the church. It may mean learning how to use a saw, hammer a nail, or sack food. It may mean advocating for people whose voices alone are not heard. Whatever we are called to do, we must remember that we never do it alone. God is always with us and there are communities of faith ready and eager to join with us in a common cause.
Prayer: Grant us the courage of Rebekah to step out in faith when you call. Amen.