Day 9: Genesis 24, 25, 26

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When my daughter was still an infant, I began to pray for the boy who would become her husband.  I prayed for blessings upon him and upon his spiritual development.  When my daughter went to college, I prayed even harder for her and for this special young man who would one day walk beside her through life.

Praying for your children, for their future, for their happiness, is something many parents have done over the ages.  Yet there is something especially powerful about the God ordained love story between Isaac and Rebekah.

When Abraham's chief servant, Eliezer, left Abraham's camp,  he knew that he had to get a wife for Isaac from Abraham's relatives and he knew that the girl had to come to Isaac; that Isaac was not to leave Canaan to go to her.

Though Abraham's servant knew that Abraham had already prayed for a successful journey for him, he too prayed when he reached Nahor's town.  He prayed that God would clearly reveal to him who was the right girl for Isaac.   When Rebekah came to the well, she unknowingly met all of the criteria that the servant had prayed about.

After talking to her, Eliezer met with her family, explained all to them, and asked if she could be the wife of Isaac, to which they agreed.  Rebekah then willingly and eagerly left with Eliezer in order to be wed to Isaac.  She chose not to spend the extra ten days celebrating with her family before beginning her married life.

One evening, as Rebekah's caravan approached Abraham's camp,  Isaac was in the fields meditating.  In Hebrew, meditating is sometimes synonymous with praying.  If we re-phrase it a little, he was praying, communing with God, maybe wondering about the direction his life would take. And suddenly he looked up and saw Rebekah. Their eyes locked.  Then Rebekah asked the servant  about the young man's identity.   Probably relieved that this was in fact Isaac, her intended husband,  she slid off her camel and  modestly covered herself with her veil.

 As the sun was setting,  Rebekah and Isaac,  strolled together to his mother's tent.   Rebekah became Isaac's wife and he loved her.   Communal fires hosted dinner preparations as Rebekah and Isaac began to kindle the fire that fueled their marriage.

What is most beautiful is that this marriage was covered in prayer.  Abraham prayed before the servant's journey began because he knew that his son's wife had to come from his family.  God had impressed upon him the holiness of his line.  Abraham probably prayed for a safe journey; for a successful journey;
for Isaac to love the young woman who would be brought to him to wed.

Abraham's servant prayed that he make the correct choice in selecting his young master's wife.  He also prayed that Rebekah's family would agree to let her go to wed Isaac.

Isaac was probably praying that his bride be beautiful and pleasing company.

In that peaceful sunset, where Abraham's tents were nestled, I can almost hear the concert of prayer in Genesis 25, for this new generation to whom God's everlasting covenant would be entrusted.