Getting Hitched …part 2

Getting Hitched …part 2

The dating scene in America circa 1991 versus the era and culture of Isaac and Rebecca are to say the very least…..different! I had always been the one to pursue relationships and being a typical American male I chose a certain “look” and “style” of woman. This “look and style” woman was based more off of the image the world had portrayed as beautiful than that of what YHVH sees as beautiful.

Having had several dating relationships (a point of contention to my future in-laws) in which few lasted more than a few months I finally had one last 3 years only to end very bitterly. I was broken mentally, spiritually, as well as, financially and actually professed to my friends I was now the president of the woman haters society.

Realizing that, in my life, I wanted desperately to have a lifelong companion because I had seen the broken relationships of my parents, I missed the reality of building a committed relationship.

Finding out who each other is at the core of their being is the goal of the process of dating to find a mate, yet so many are dating with the companion mentality over the commitment mentality. They will spend many hours and fists full of money on going to the club, the movies, out to eat and to events. While entertainment is needed within a relationship, it is hardly the place to really find out about the beliefs and dreams of your future lifelong partner.

This is where I did what I should have done from the very beginning and that was to trust YHVH. Thinking (which can get me into trouble) that YHVH had brought about the other relationships in my life there must be something wrong with me, or women, or both. Then He spoke to me, telling me He had a plan and if I would just get out of the way things would be different.

So I prayed “Lord you are the creator of the universe and I am an idiot. Your word says you know my innermost being and that you knit me in the womb. I have not been trusting of you and I ask for forgiveness. I see in your word also that you recognized Adam was without a helpmeet and you created Eve to fit him perfectly. I am asking you to do the same for me. Amen.” Despite my weak relationship at that time with YHVH, He was faithful and true to the mustard seed of my faith.

Abraham knew this principle immediately because  of his deep relationship with YHVH.  Verse 7 shows us this clearly “The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.”

It is one thing to pray about a matter it is wholly again another to act on faith in a matter. Imagine, if you will, the thoughts running through the servant’s (Eliezer) head. “Like I am just gonna show up and say to a girl ‘you ready to get hitched?’ and she is gonna drop everything and go.” Nevertheless, Eliezer has faith in the God of Abraham.

Genesis 24:10 ” And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.” This is a 500 mile trip by camel through the desert. On average a camel can travel 20-25 miles per day, making this trip from 3 to 4 weeks long!

When my wife and I first started dating we lived 110 miles apart and it required a two and a half hour drive. I recall several nights of talking on the phone for hours when long distance charges were still an issue. I thought that these were enormous obstacles to our ability to build a relationship, but somehow, we did it. Not nearly as grueling as Eliezer’s journey.

Again we see the power of prayer as Eliezer asks of YHVH for the helpmeet to Jacob. “And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.” Gen. 24:12-14

Verse 15 is one of the most incredible verses: “And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah (fetching beauty) came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.” That God would answer your specific prayer is one thing, but, to do so before you are done praying! Talk about wonderful!

Next in verse 20 we see “And she hasted (ran), and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.” Depending on their needs, camels can drink up to 114 liters of water in a 10-minute sitting. Converting to gallons….that’s 30 gallons per camel…10 camels….300 gallons! This was no small feat! With a 5 gallon pitcher about 10 pounds of clay holding 40 pounds of water each of the 60 trips to troughs was 50 pounds for a total of 1.5 tons of water!

Rebecca certainly wasn’t a frail, waif-like, runway model. Having been described as “fetching beauty” she definitely wasn’t brutish either.  Moreover she has three very important qualities very visible in her actions. First, the bride displays hospitality going above and beyond the request. Secondly, she showed urgency to the matter at hand. Finally, she showed perseverance or commitment to finish the huge task before her. This inward beauty amplifies any outward beauty she has.

Hospitality is something altogether different than charity as we can see that Eliezer is not a man without means when he tells Nahor “I am Abraham’s servant. And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.” Eliezer certainly wasn’t looking for a handout or even a hand up, he was looking for the servant’s heart in Rebecca.

The ultimate quality we see in Rebecca is faith. The bride of Isaac as well as the bride of Christ must be like the father/Father. She must be willing to leave behind all that she knows and go into a land (way of living) that she will be shown (Torah). She must be led by the Holy Spirit to follow the instructions and what will be revealed to her.

Her reply is an action marked only, and fully, by faith: Verse 58 “And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.”

Will you go where God is calling you?