Rebekah was a young woman of beautiful character and amazing faith. She responded to a stranger’s request for a drink and went the extra mile to give his camels their fill as well. Her family must of told her about how Abram had left his family on a journey of following the God of creation. For her to come face-to-face with the very man’s servant must have been startling. But she accepted the invitation to follow in Abraham’s footsteps. I wonder how long she paused when her family asked her if she would go with the servant of Abraham? Was her surrender motivated by her faith? Did she desire to leave home and see what God would do in her life? God didn’t pass on the passions that Rebekah held. We know that she left home and married a man following God. Because of that faith God used her to carry on the line of the faithful from Abraham.
It took me 20 minutes to read this passage.
Stuart
2 comments:
Hey Stuart,
It was really interesting to read this post. I would need to read the passage in a translation you are using. I am reading NIV and from the record of the event – somehow the word faith on Rebeccah’s part didn’t enter the equation. From what you wrote of Rebeccah it does sound like she was of noble character and great reputation, OH and I would also add that she definitely did her work rather fast and she also was a “runner” she ran to the water and back to the camels, ran to the house, ran to the brother – she was doing a lot of running…
I guess it could be special to meet with the servant of your relative everybody was talking about - but do you think she clearly understood that she would be following Abraham’s footsteps? For some reason I doubt it.
Another question – where does it say that she followed God? What did she need faith for? She was so eager to “run” into this endeavor that she agreed to go right away without even following the tradition!
Oh and another one – what passions that she held God decided to pass on? I was just thinking it is not like she is this independent woman of the 21st century trying to survive on her own with her own passions of professional or individual growth.
What do you think?
WOW; good questions. I liked your point about running. Nope faith isn't in the English version I read, but since her family seemed to want her to stay for a while it seems to me that something was pushing her to leave home quickly. It could have been her desire to run into or flee from something at home. It could have also been a faith. I'm not trying to read too much into the text.
When I re-read the statement about passion I realized I didn't put down the right words to convey my thought. "God didn't have the writer of Genesis explain the source of her passion..." would have been a better presentation of the thought. (sorry for the confusion)
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