March 6, 2013

Genesis is a good place to start.  It means “Beginnings” and often we can find clues to other topics in the Bible by going back to the first mention of it, whether in Genesis or elsewhere.

Genesis 24:27 – “I being in the way, the LORD led me…”

Eliezer was Abraham’s trusted servant.  When the patriarch wanted a wife for his son, Isaac, he sent his servant back to his hometown, Ur of the Chaldees, to find one.  Ur was 600 plus miles to the east, but closer to a thousand miles by caravan route.

After months of traveling, Eliezer arrived at the city limits, the main well from where the women fetched water for daily use.

     He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was to-
     ward evening, the time the women go out to draw water. Then he prayed,
     “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show
     kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring,
     and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May
     it be that when I say to a girl, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a
     drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’ — let her be
     the one You have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that
     You have shown kindness to my master.” (Genesis 24:11-14 New Inter-
     national Version).

Rebekah, Abraham’s great niece, came along and exactly fulfilled the servant’s request to God.  She was the one!

So what is the Gem we can glean from this incident?  Focus on our featured Scripture of Genesis 24:27:  “I being in the way, the LORD led me….”  This was part of Eliezer’s praise to God when he realized Rebekah was God’s choice of a wife for his master’s son.  Eliezer was led by God because he put himself in the position of being in the way!  That doesn’t mean he was blocking God’s leading.  It means that he was actively in tune with God so he could receive the LORD’s directions!

How can we put ourselves in the way and so be led by the LORD?

• First, be in the way of the Way!  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father but by Me.”  (John 14:6).  Be sure you are in Him and He in you – that you have invited Him into your life as your Savior.
• Be sure He is your Lord!  This means that you are in obedience to His will as you understand it.

• Be sure you understand the directions you are receiving are in accordance with God’s Word!  There are a lot of voices in this old world that are more than ready to direct us.  Regularly get into your Bible (read, study, even memorize the Scriptures) because the LORD’s leading will never contradict His written Word!

• Ask Him to make clear how He is leading you!  I don’t think Eliezer pulled his expectation out of thin air when he said:

             May it be that when I say to a girl, “Please let down your jar that I may                      have a drink,” and she says, “Drink, and I’ll water your camels too” —                    let her be the one You have chosen for your servant Isaac.                                                                                                                                                                                    He was asking how God was going to lead him.

• Expect God to lead you!  Eliezer did.

• Thank Him and praise Him for His leading!  Again we have Eliezer’s example (see Genesis 24:26, 27).

Because of Abraham’s faithful servant being in the way…

• …Abraham received a daughter-in-law!

• …Isaac received a wife!

• …together Isaac and Rebekah had a son, Jacob!

• …Jacob then fathered thirteen more children – twelve sons and       one daughter!

• …these twelve sons became the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of     Israel!

• …Israel became a nation perpetually favored by God!

• …and that nation brought forth the Messiah, the Lord Jesus                       Christ!

What will the Lord do through you if you put yourself in the way of God?