Biblical Worldview Learning Center: Daily Bible Reading- Gen. 24:1-33

**This reading plan is produced by the staff of "Biblical Worldview Learning Center." The views espoused do not necessarily agree with the views held by "The Contender's Notebook."

January 22nd Reading: Genesis 24:1-33

Sarah has died and Abraham is getting old. He is concerned about Isaac's future, especially the wife that he has. It is interesting that Abraham does not go to Isaac to speak of this issue, but talks about it with his eldest servant. Apparently, the responsibility of obtaining a wife for Isaac would descend from Abraham to his eldest servant. This method of finding a wife for one's son may seem really strange to us in this modern age where we all think we should get to make all our own choices, but there is much we can learn about the benefits of keeping one's parents prominent in the whole picture. We will speak more about this each time your read through this passage in the future. This time through I want to focus on the providence of God. Providence is a character trait of God that is an aspect of His sovereignty, or overruling power and authority. Noah Webster, in his original dictionary of the English language, defined providence as, "the care and superintendence which God exercises over his creatures." He adds that providence includes, "foresight; timely care; particularly, active foresight, or foresight accompanied with the procurement of what is necessary for future use." We see all these aspects in what God brought about for Abraham's servant to meet Rebekah. Notice these passages. First, Abraham believes completely in God's providence. When his servant wonders about his responsibility should the girl refuse to come with him, Abraham answers, "The Lord God of heaven.shall send His angel before thee, and thou shall take a wife unto my son from thence" (Genesis 24:7). Abraham believed explicitly in God's active foresight and timely care, that is God's providence. Next, we see that Abraham's servant has adopted his master's faith and prays for God to work the situation out so he can easily identify the girl the Lord has chosen for Isaac. It is interesting that the servant speaks to God in his prayer as the "Lord God of my master Abraham" (Genesis 24:12). It may be that the servant is speaking from the position of a servant as he prays to God, but each of us needs to develop our own personal relationship with God. Finally, as we look at God's providence, notice how quickly and precisely God answers the prayers of Abraham and his servant. "And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came" (Genesis 24:15). How gracious of God to providentially work the events in Abraham's servant's life that even before he was done praying and making His request, the answer was already being provided. We need to understand that God does not always work in such an immediate way. Remember how long Abraham and Sarah waited for a son. However, one thing this story does begin to teach us is that God, who knows all things, already knows what we need and how He will answer before we ever ask. Thank God for His providential care in your life. He may not answer yours and my prayers in the immediate fashion that He answered the prayer of Abraham's servant, but we can trust that God in His sovereignty and in His providence knows what we need and the best way to provide for our needs.