Author: astherainandsnow

“I cry aloud to God,
    aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
    in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
    my soul refuses to be comforted.
When I remember God, I moan;
    when I meditate, my spirit faints.

You hold my eyelids open;
    I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old,
    the years long ago.
I said, ‘Let me remember my song in the night;
    let me meditate in my heart.’
    Then my spirit made a diligent search:
‘Will the Lord spurn forever,
    and never again be favorable?
Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
    Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he in anger shut up his compassion?’ 

Then I said, ‘I will appeal to this,
    to the years of the right hand of the Most High.’

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
    and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
    What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
    you have made known your might among the peoples.
You with your arm redeemed your people,
    the children of Jacob and Joseph.” Psalm 77:1-15

The sky is so heavy this morning it is hard to see eternity. It all looks close, thick, a barrier between the heavens and me. My vision is limited, and so seems my ability to connect with the One who is seated above heaven and earth. The crow flying overhead, and cawing, is in my room. I’m pressed into the here and now, nearly suffocating on temporal concerns and sorrows. Yet, beyond the clouds, my limitless Lord reigns, and making them visible, light still shines, and leaves its smudge of hope. Redemption stands and rings its melody of grace, and wonder.

In the deepest of trouble, with faint spirit and longing so desperate he felt abandoned, the psalmist made search of his Lord. Turning his eyes from forlorn despair to the holy Most High, he found his balm. There is no circumstance so grim, no situation so disconcerting, that Jesus has not touched it, nor cannot redeem it.

When darkness closes in, and cruelty, sorrows, and deception storm our souls, God embraces us into His limitless love. Lingering illness, financial destitution, relationships in ruin- situations with dimmest hope meet God’s infinite goodness and glorious grace in His arms of mercy. He, the wonder-worker, gives songs in the night. (Job 35:10; Psalm 42:8)

What personal limits can I bring to God’s unlimited? What impossible to His possible? What uncertainty to His “yes and amen,” regret to His redemption, shame to His forgiveness, weakness to His strength, despair to His hope? Where can I trust Him to meet my dirge with His melody, my burdens with His yoke, my lack with His supply? Will I do so now? (2 Corinthians 1:20; Hebrews 4:16)

“Come, you disconsolate, where’er you languish; 
come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel. 
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; 
earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal.” ~Thomas Moore (1816)

Infinite Lord, in every temporal distress, cause me to appeal to Your wide mercy, remember Your infinite goodness, ponder Your limitless grace, and exalt Your holy, matchless name.

When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said, ‘Take your quiver and bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me,  and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it so I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.’

Now Rebekah was listening… So when Esau went to the field.., Rebekah said to Jacob,.. ‘Bring me two good young goats, so I may prepare delicious food for your father, such as he loves… so that he may bless you before he dies…’

So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and [she] prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. Then Rebekah took the garments of Esau… The skins of the young goats she put on his hands and the smooth part of his neck. And she put the delicious food… into the hand of Jacob.

He went in to his father… ‘Who are you, my son?’  Jacob said, ‘I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me…’ Isaac said, ‘Please come near, that I may feel you, to know whether you are really Esau or not…’ ²²  Isaac… felt him and said, ‘The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau… Bring it near to me, that I may eat game and bless you.’ So he brought it, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then Isaac said, ‘Come near and kiss me, my son.’ So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him…

“When Jacob had scarcely gone out.., Esau came in from hunting,.. prepared delicious food and brought it to his father… ‘Eat, that you may bless me.’ Isaac said, ‘Who are you?’ ‘I am your firstborn, Esau.’  Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, ‘Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? He shall be blessed. Your brother came deceitfully, and has taken away your blessing.’” Genesis 27:1,3-6,9-10,14-19,21-22,25-27,30-33,35

Appetite. Favorites. Competition. Urgent cravings. Scent. Touch. Misplaced fear of not getting my way, and guilt associated with getting caught, but not with doing wrong. Feelings all, whipping in a frenzy of plotting and ploys to get the promised prize. And all, when disordered or over-magnified, make for much mistake. They distort reasoning, propel passions out of control, and ruin honest communication.

But it wasn’t intended to go this way. God’s prophetic promises stand on their own, secured in His character and truth, His ordaining and time table. He is the One to see them through in the lives of His faithful. We’ll never know how He would have accomplished this one had not feelings ruled. (Genesis 25:21-26)

Making too much of feelings, and allowing them to dictate our choices and control our mindset, sets us loose on a wind-frothed sea, bobbing afloat in uncertainty and without an anchor, flitting like foam in the air. Feelings will always entice with urgency, fickleness, and the tease of instant gratification. Gut instincts will come and go. The fruit of the Spirit is patience, goodness, and self-control. It requires discipline to bring our feelings under God’s lordship, and harness them to benefit as He intended. (Galatians 5:22-23; Titus 1:8)

How do we handle our feelings? Do we coddle and excuse, or understand their dangerous sway and bridle their power? God’s Spirit will sanctify them for HIs purposes when we surrender ourselves to His rule over all.

Jesus, direct and redeem every feeling You give, for Your ultimate good and glory.

“The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.  And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” Mark 4:14-20

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” 2 Corinthians 9:6

Halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, deep inside a mountain on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago, more than one million seeds from across the globe are stored in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. This secure facility protects the world’s largest backup collection of seed samples of essential food crops and plant species from factors and forces, natural and manmade, that can alter the composition or viability of seeds in the environment. Unless they are retrieved by the nations that stored them, they remain sealed and frozen in crates in the permafrost. (Sources: Norway Government, Wikipedia)

There are many seeds available for us to sort and stow. Some are good and worthwhile, some bad and destructive. We always have a choice.

We’ve all been entrusted with the potent seed of God’s word, and it is not meant to be stored away dormant, or put on frozen hold, but hidden deep in receptive hearts to grow and break forth in a life of righteousness. Its viability and fruitfulness depends on our heart condition and will. (Psalm 119:11)

How carefully do we prepare for and tend God’s good and generous seed- His changeless truth, His holy desires? Are we diligent to remove stones of resistance or sin habits that would inhibit growth? How thoughtfully do we distinguish between thorns and truth? Do we deliberately avoid or extinguish what chokes, and nurture what promotes multiplication?

Against what seeds should we guard? Many pesky kernels of doubt, lies, dissension, and anxiety flit on the culture’s winds, ready to settle and take root on fertile soil of mind and heart. Have we established spiritual safeguards? Have we intentionally educated ourselves and protected our will and heart space with God’s armor? Do we know the truth well enough to recognize the counterfeit and false, and are we strong enough to eschew its enticements? (Ephesians 6:10-18; Hebrews 12:15)

Selecting and sowing God’s seeds take time and effort. Bearing fruit and multiplying for Him is what we were made for. A spiritual harvest is always worth the glory God receives. (Genesis 1:27-28; James 5:7)

Good Father, give me wisdom to sort and diligence to plant good seeds, sowing always to please Your Spirit, not my flesh. May I produce much fruit of righteousness for the blessing of others and delight of You. (Ecclesiastes 11:6; John 15:16; 2 Corinthians 9:10; Galatians 5:22-23; 6:8)

“Haman went out joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and… brought his friends and his wife Zeresh [and] recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants… Then Haman said, ‘Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.’ Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ‘Let a gallows be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it…’ This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

“So Haman came in, and the king said, ‘What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?’ And Haman said to himself, ‘Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?’ Haman said to the king, ‘For the man whom the king delights to honor, let royal robes be brought,.. and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set.^.. Let [the king’s most noble officials] dress the man, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming:.. “The man whom the king delights to honor.”‘ Then the king said to Haman, ‘Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned…’ Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.” Esther 5:9-14; 6:6-10,12

Puffed in importance, Haman not only relished his high life as top official of King Ahasuerus, but his plan to take down the ‘low life’ Mordecai and all the Jewish people. After all, anyone who refused to pay him the homage he deserved himself deserved punishment. Cocky and confident, he managed his world from the throne of self, unaware of the trap that lurked. He had not only misjudged Mordecai as an individual, but the deadly consequences of his nefarious plot.

We step on dangerous ground the moment we entertain superiority. At the instant I’m better, more important, more deserving, I’ve entered a pool of deception that will swirl and choke and drown me in disillusionment while I attempt to submerge others. What is good for me is too good, or must never be allowed, for anyone else is a destructive mindset to all involved.

Where has a sense of entitlement distorted our view of reality and polluted our opinions with prejudice? Are there areas we expect more, or less, from some than we do from ourselves or our loved ones? When and how are we investing in those different from us, to get to know them and understand their circumstances, their motivations? Where are we guilty of a double standard that falls far short of God’s for us all? We will be exposed and bear the consequences. (Luke 12:2)

Lord, please guard my heart by, and compel my actions toward, Your sole standard of holiness. (1 Peter 1:16)

“The Lord said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.’ ⁴ So Jacob called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was and said to them, ‘I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me… The angel of God said to me, “Jacob,” and I said, “Here I am!” And he said,.. “I have seen all that Laban is doing to you… Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred…”’

“So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac… And Jacob tricked Laban, by not telling him that he intended to flee. He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

“When it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled, he took his kinsmen and pursued him… Laban said to Jacob, ‘What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters? Why did you flee secretly and trick me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with mirth and songs..? And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? Now you have done foolishly. It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” And now you have gone away because you longed greatly for your father’s house..?’ Jacob answered, ‘Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force.'” Genesis 31:3-5,11-13,17-18,20-23a,26-31

Jacob the deceiver had been deceived enough, and was likely relieved and overjoyed to receive God’s call to return to his homeland. Without delay, he prepared his family, then his flocks and possessions. But then his right obedience took a wrong turn, swayed by that pestering flesh fear that ran in his blood. What if? (Genesis 25:26; 29:15-28; 30:28-36; 31:38-42)

It is one thing, and it is a good thing, to obey God’s clear command. But it is another thing altogether to obey it the right way, completely trusting His sufficiency for every step. How fickle the human heart, and weak the will, that jumps at the opportunity to follow God, but then trips over fear in finishing the determination God’s way. He is able to see us through completely, and provides a way of escape with every temptation. (Matthew 26:33-34,58,69-75; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 1:6)

Where have you and I made a good start on the track of God’s call, only to allow niggling voices of doubt to distract and deter us from continuing? Or where have we decided to follow, but forged our own easier, or supposed better way, that involves deception or neglect? Have we accommodated ‘little sins’ in otherwise righteous obedience, and failed to see how that dishonors the God we are serving?

Lord, keep me wholehearted and pure as I seek and follow You. May I be all in for Your way, for Your glory.

“In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela. And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came…

“Then the king[s] of Sodom,.. Gomorrah,.. Admah,.. Zeboiim,.. and… Bela went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with Chedorlaomer.., Tidal.., Amraphel.., and Arioch.., four kings against five. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions,.. also Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

“One who had escaped came and told Abram… When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people...

“Melchizedek king of Salem… blessed him and said,

‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
    Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
    who has delivered your enemies into your hand!’” Genesis 14:1-5,8-16,18-20

“Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.'” 2 Chronicles 20:15

The nomad herdsman Abram was discovering the swagger of power and alliances in this promised land of tightly held territories. His growing faith taught him to be prepared for conflict, so a small band among his growing household was trained for battle. Insignificant and weak as they must have appeared in the eyes of these arrogant kings, his determined army applied their strategy and stealthily defeated the armies of five kings, securing back their kinsmen and belongings. God had readied them and brought victory.

Friction, greed, and opposing pride make for heated, dangerous war. War between factions, ideologies, people groups, nations. War in our flesh cravings, impulses, fears. Threats and antagonism without and within are part of life in this fallen world, and regardless of our desire for peace, we must be prepared for the fight. Are we trained, equipped, ready? Are we aware of the enemy’s tactics, and smart enough to strategize?

The Lord blesses us by supplying us with spiritual armor for battle, even when we know not what is coming. He does. His Spirit in us is greater than the enemy spirit in the world. He ordains conflict to train us to trust Him to win, and He receives the glory. (Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 John 4:4)

Most High, keep me trained, ready, and vigilant. May I trust and exalt You for every victory.

“And so it was that all were brought safely to land. After we were brought through, we learned that the island was called Malta. The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, ‘No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.’ He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

“Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him, healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.” Acts 27:44-28:9

A ship full of soldiers and prisoners wrecking just offshore would understandably cause the islanders caution and suspicion. In their heathen minds, Paul morphed within moments from being a threat to becoming a god, but he would have no part in being worshipped. The missionary-held-prisoner quickly redirected them from superstition to true revelation by praying for them and healing their infirmities. His heart beat with a gospel thump, and his signs pointed to the spiritual work of Jesus. (John 20:30-31)

Our world offers a daily plethora of messages and supposed revelations: breaking news, new discoveries, uncovered plots and conspiracies. In the flesh we are attracted to and titillated by the spectacular. When we observe with a snake-bit lens, we may try to read our suspicions or desires into every occurrence. We can slip into worship of the created over the Creator, of acting on feelings over facts, and spiral insidiously into false beliefs and allegiances. When we perceive with the mind of Christ, intent on seeing as He sees, the lens of biblical truth will reveal doctrine, and the character and ways of God. It’s important to surrender preconceptions, to set aside what we want to see and hear, in order to grasp God’s consistent truth, wisdom, and deeper meaning from events and messages. (Romans 1:18-28)

When our emotions get swept into frenzied devotion, disordered affection, or crowd-think, would we reset our plumb, and align our thinking with the Bible? Would we take time to consider more carefully what is happening around us in order to discern deeper lessons, and the movement and intention of God’s divine hand?

Father, guard my heart from growing dull to Your word. Please give me ears that hear and eyes that see You through the buzz and magic of the world. Grant me spiritual understanding and wholehearted embracing of all You offer, and are. (Acts 28:27)

“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison.., but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me..,‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?..’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you… I am sending you [to the Gentiles] to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared… in Damascus, Jerusalem and all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” Acts 26:9-14a,15-16,17b-20

Paul’s story is dramatic, a colorful scene in a spiritual thriller. An enemy of Christ, alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, Paul was drastically changed and reconciled to Jesus. God intervened to deliver him from the domain of darkness by opening his eyes and transferring him to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom all who believe have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Opened eyes lead to a flurry of life transformation: darkness to light, power of Satan to God, condemnation to forgiveness, separation and desolation to belonging. Opened eyes recognize what the Lord has done, and look for what He will do. (Acts 9:1-9,17-19; Romans 5:10; Ephesians 2:5; Colossians 1:13-14,21-22)

Indeed, his saving was spectacular, but Paul’s call to mission was not unlike that to all believers. All whose spiritual eyes have been opened, like Paul have seen Him, and are servants and witnesses to His power and work. Enlightened by the Holy Spirit, we are charged to bring the light of truth to others. Our place and opportunities and methods to ‘make disciples’ will differ, but we are all instruments in God’s skilled hands to open eyes. (Isaiah 42:6-7; 49:1-3,5-6; Matthew 28:19-20)

What are we doing to watch keenly for God, so we actively add to our storehouse of His deeds? What of His faithfulness, His grace and mercy, His holiness, His love, has He showed us personally? Are we daily looking into His word to see His ways, and His glory? (Exodus 33:13-19; Psalm 119:18)

And what is He revealing to us about the needs of others, our nation, our world? How might He use us to open eyes?

Lord, help me see You, and others through You. Use me to open eyes so more can behold Your worth.

“Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.” Acts 18:24-28

Apollos was a gem of a man: gifted, winsome, conscientious, and generous in conveying the good news of Jesus. But even he had a ways to grow, and in God’s good providence, he was helped along by his spiritual siblings. Priscilla and Aquila wanted him to be his best and most effective, and sensitively but directly taught him about the Holy Spirit. Others gave encouragement, and he in turn had much to offer those he visited. How sweet it is when the Lord provides brothers and sisters to walk the path of righteousness and ministry alongside us.

Making new disciples, and discipling disciples, both enrich the church of Christ. Even those who are hungry, eager, and capable need instruction and edification. We are all being sanctified by the Spirit and need iron sharpening iron in our daily lives, real people who will challenge, speak truth, and upbuild. (Proverbs 27:17)

Who in our lives confronts our wrong thinking and misdirected energies? Who walks beside to warn of tendencies that could cause stumbling, or point out blind spots? Have we sought out, or opened ourselves to, those who will help us grow in Christ’s likeness, even if it stings? Do we hide away in a self-made superiority bubble above everyone else, or will we humble ourselves enough to ask for honest refinement and chastening? How willing are we to listen to opposing views, and consider that we might actually be wrong? (Luke 18:9-14; 2 Timothy 2:24-26)

And in whom are we investing? We are commanded to encourage one another, to spur one another on to love and good deeds, to help the weak and share good things with those who teach us. What makes us reluctant to do our part? Are we too comfy to be bothered? Do we hide smugness behind false humility, and neglect our call as Christian brothers and sisters? (Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; Hebrews 10:24-25)

When we make ourselves available to be both chiseled and used by God, He will give opportunities. He uses other people as a mirror to reveal sin tendencies in us, and us as a spotlight to expose error in them. God faithfully, skillfully, and graciously sanctifies us through the give and take of mutual edification. We grow by both giving and receiving, we learn by both teaching and being taught. (Romans 14:19)

Good Father, keep me hungering to be helped and a helper. Employ me as Your instrument of holiness, and apply those instruments to me. May my life reflect Your grace and Your graces in abundance, for the building up of Your church and exaltation of Your name.

“Abraham was old,.. [and] said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had,.. ‘ I make you swear by the Lord… that you will… go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.’..  The Lord… will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there...’  

“Then the servant… went to Mesopotamia… And he said, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham… I am standing by the spring…  Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.’

“Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah,.. came out with her water jar,.. went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. The servant ran to meet her and said, ‘Please give me a little water.’  She said, ‘Drink, my lord… I will draw water for your camels also…’  The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.

“‘Please tell me whose daughter you are…’  She said, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor…’  The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord.., ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. The Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen…’ The man came to the house and… said, ‘I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.'” Genesis 24:1-4,7,10,12-19,21,23-24,26-27,32-33

Intrigue, adventure, and the prospect of romance color each step of the servant’s assignment, expectation, and unfolding answer. On tiptoe to see what will come next, we cannot help but smile at the loving resolution God orchestrates. From the start, this was His gig. Abraham’s servant, serious with confident faith, credited the Lord over and over (to Rebekah, Laban and Bethuel, and Isaac), keeping Him at center stage. God is the named, exalted, and worshiped protagonist, the unnamed servant (likely Eliezer) merely a supporting character. So passionate and clear was his telling that all the others recognized God’s superintendence of events and embraced His providential plan. (Genesis 15:1-4; 24:29-67)

It is almost as though the servant said, ‘please don’t include my name, this story is all about the Lord.’ Do we even consider how God’s hand traces and His purposes unfold in our life events? When we recount our accomplishments, of whom do we make much? It takes deliberation and devotion to yield ourselves to proving His will, not enforcing our own, and to exalt His name, not ours. (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:17; Galatians 6:14)

What humility, what confession, what heart reorientation or changed mindset will it take for us to hide behind Jesus? What steps can we take to move from ‘all about me’ to ‘all about Him’?

My LORD, may You who are worthy be You who are noticed and applauded in my life. May all see You as my source, goal, and glory.