WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: Read Psalm 17:6. Do you believe it? Ask God now for the help you need and see what he can do. Big responsibility At this point in Abraham’s life he is 140 years old, hugely rich, powerful and committed to serving God in Canaan. He has a trusted right-hand man, possibly Eliezer of Damascus, a servant he picked up on his way down from Haran (15:2). When Abraham had no sons, this man was considered the only possible inheritor of his wealth – an indication of his status. Now he is being given an incredible responsibility: to find a good wife for Isaac. How would you feel about finding a wife for your boss’s son? Test of faith Of course, the last time we saw Isaac he was a child bound to a wooden altar, being offered as a sacrifice (ch 22), when his father’s faith was tested at Mount Moriah. Here his faith is being tested once again. If you are a parent, you may have some sympathy for Abraham, who looks around his locality and can’t see a suitable wife for his offspring. What Isaac thinks about it all we never get to hear – as before, he seems a passive actor – but for Abraham and his servant it’s a solemn moment, a long journey and a big task. It requires Abraham to trust his servant and for the servant to trust God – all bound together in the same quest. Respond: If you have children, pray for their relationships. Pray for your own relationships, too, that they may be directed by God. http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-05-07