Origins: The Promise (Genesis 12–25)Sample

By Pastor Dan Hickling

“Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken.” Genesis 24:51 (NKJV)

The pivotal moment had arrived. After a long journey to secure a bride for his master’s son, Eliezer awaited the decision from Rebekah’s family on whether or not they would consent to her leaving the family fold for a distant land and man. 

This was a big question, don’t you think? Little Rebekah, who’d grown up under the covering of her family’s protection and provision was now of age to become a wife and start a family of her own. As inevitable as her eventual leaving was, it wouldn’t mute any emotions when the time came to let her go. Factor in the great distance that would now be between her and them; it would have been easy to deny the request.

But they don’t. They did something rather remarkable by basing their decisions, not on their emotions, but on the fact that “the Lord had spoken.” Eliezer’s testimony of how God orchestrated the events to reveal Rebekah as His choice was all they needed. It was undeniable that this work was being wrought by One greater than any of them. The will of the Lord had been made quite clear. And as difficult as it may have been, they trusted that the will of the Lord was always the right decision.

That’s a principle we can (and must) base our own life decisions upon! Choices continually come our way, don’t they? Even this very day, after you finish reading this, a steady stream of situations will unfold before you, and you’ll need to make decisions on them. 

Some won’t seem consequential, like when you should take your work break or what you should eat for lunch. But there will also be those decisions that will impact your life a whole lot more. Decisions to such questions as, “Should I tell the truth even though it’s going to cost me?”, “Do I risk reaching out to that person who looks like they’re hurting or pretend I don’t notice?”, “Am I finally going to get around to having that heart to heart I’ve been putting off because I’m afraid of rejection?”, or “Is it even worth praying for that person anymore?”

These are the big choices in life. Going back to Genesis, we need to look at them through this lens, “God’s will is always the right decision.” When we know what God wants us to do, we know what we need to do; despite the difficulties, choosing God’s choice for us will always be the right one.

DIG: What decision did Rebekah’s family make and why?

DISCOVER: What lens do we need to view our life choices through?

DO: Which decisions are you struggling with? Ask the Lord to help you in the process by revealing His will in it more clearly.