Reason #582
Today was "make-up" day. A day where I made up for the lost sleep during this week and where I dove head first into my bible reading for the week. I had 20 chapters to read this week. While that doesn't sound like much, it really is. Especially when you're reading with an attempt to really soak up, learn, and remember the information. And so I've made it through 14 chapters this evening. I'm reading through Genesis, and have come to see that I already know most of these stories. Because of that, my prayer is that God will teach me something new or give me a different perspective, and you can believe that He did exactly that tonight.
I'm not going to lie, some of the traditions and ways of these early people are weird. I don't really understand them, and times have changed so it can be hard to relate to their unusual customs. But one of the things I love about the bible is that you can draw comparisons between things. You can turn the literal things into figurative things. Because I tell you what, I don't know the first thing about leading around livestock. I don't know how to draw water out of a well, either. In fact, I really don't even know what I well looks like. But I do know what it's like to be thirsty, and I know that a drink of water is the best solution for that.
Rebecca had no idea what was coming her way. She was just going to the well to get water like she did every day. I'm sure the trip to the well made her thirsty, too. And although we don't know much about Rebecca, we know she was single. Even though she lived thousands of years ago, people really haven't changed all that much. So, like most single young women, I bet Rebecca had this recurring thought as she made her daily walks to the well. Marriage. Relationships. Now, this isn't fact and this isn't anywhere in scripture, I'm just taking a stab in the dark. Rebecca may have been one of those girls who didn't really think much about relationships. She may have been one of those really patient women who was concerned about other things aside from being a wife. But knowing how we women think, I'm sure the thought crossed her mind now and then. And so Rebecca heads to the well one day to get some water. Little did she know that the very trip she was making to that well was going to change her life forever.
The servant was waiting with a big mission on his hands. Find the woman who would continue to live out the promise that God had given Abraham. The woman who would marry Isaac and receive the blessing of God's covenant to make Abraham's descendants greater than the stars. This couldn't be an ordinary woman. This had to be a woman of God if she was going to carry out such an important task. And so the servant made it to the well and he waited. Praying that God would make it clearly known which woman she was, he watched the women come to the well to draw water. He decided that he'd seek out a girl with a servant's heart. One who was kind, generous. and caring. A woman who thought not of herself but of others. And so he came up with a little test. Any woman who was willing to not only give him a drink but also give water to his 10 camels would be the one for Isaac. He saw Rebecca approaching and he ran to ask her for a drink. Not only did she give him a drink, she ran up and down the hill with her jug so that she could give the camels enough to drink. Now, according to google, camels can drink up to 200 liters of water a day. Remember, there were 10 camels. You do the math. So here we see this woman serving a complete stranger. Spending her time and energy making sure he was refreshed as well as his camels. A woman who obviously was kind and caring and incredibly generous. One who could have easily just ignored him, assuming her hard work would be for nothing, and look the other way. But she didn't. She helped him out, and in return her life would be blessed in a way she never imagined.
Rebecca was going through life being obedient and doing what she was supposed to be doing. And not only that, she was making sure to serve those around her too, and not for selfish gain. She had no clue of the offer she was about to receive, an offer that was an answered prayer not only for the seeking servant, but possibly for her, too. And so if you think that this is about being a servant and acting nice to get a husband, you're wrong. This whole thing isn't just about getting married. Sure, that's part of it, but there's more to this story. Because Rebecca went to that well probably every day, and I'm sure every single day looked just about the same. She'd chat with the women, wait to draw her water, and then she'd return home. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to show up, meet a stranger, spend a significant amount of her time trucking up and down the hill to water his camels, and then take him home with her so he could ask her family's permission for her to marry Isaac. This was one of those divinely orchestrated events, but God had been preparing Rebecca for quite for some.
Maybe the Lord keeps sending you back the same place. Every day you go there and it looks the same. And it may not be a place that you want to be, so you feel weary and you're tired of it. You're tired of walking to the well over and over. You're tired of pulling up that heavy bucket every day and carrying it around. And you wonder if there is ever an end in sight. Yet maybe the Lord keeps sending you there for a reason. And maybe, your obedience is what he's working on. Because maybe the Lord has a really big plan for you yet you need to be consistent in your walk before He can trust you with it. And maybe, each day as you go there, he is preparing you for that perfect moment when you have that very divine appointment. Because now you know what you're doing. You know how to lower that bucket and bring it up again. Now, you're ready to take the next step, whatever it may be.
I've been in Rebecca's shoes before. Feeling the monotony of life and wanting more, wanting to do greater things than carry around a bucket of water every day. But the Lord places us where He needs us to be so that His plan is accomplished. And I realize that the trip to the well is always that for me. A time where God teaches me obedience, trust, and faith. Where I learn discipline and hard work. A time where I am given an opportunity to serve. And, as with so many women in the bible, a trip to the well usually means God is going to change your life in a way you would have never imagined on your own.
Jesus told us that He was the living water, and that whoever drank from that water would never thirst again. And so, keeping that in mind, keep walking to the well. Even when you feel tired, even when you're discouraged, when the trip is monotonous, and the view looks the same. Keep going, every day. Because even if you don't see it, there's always a benefit of going to the well. Dip your bucket in and draw up blessings. Draw up nourishment from the well of life. It's there for anyone who will come and drink. And trust me, when you keep on going to the well, your life will be changed, too. For when you make obedience, trust, consistency, service, kindness, and walks to the well a part of your daily life, you, too, will be a changed woman forever.
#582 - Because He does big things for us when we come to the well.
"The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master..." Genesis 24:26-27
I'm not going to lie, some of the traditions and ways of these early people are weird. I don't really understand them, and times have changed so it can be hard to relate to their unusual customs. But one of the things I love about the bible is that you can draw comparisons between things. You can turn the literal things into figurative things. Because I tell you what, I don't know the first thing about leading around livestock. I don't know how to draw water out of a well, either. In fact, I really don't even know what I well looks like. But I do know what it's like to be thirsty, and I know that a drink of water is the best solution for that.
Rebecca had no idea what was coming her way. She was just going to the well to get water like she did every day. I'm sure the trip to the well made her thirsty, too. And although we don't know much about Rebecca, we know she was single. Even though she lived thousands of years ago, people really haven't changed all that much. So, like most single young women, I bet Rebecca had this recurring thought as she made her daily walks to the well. Marriage. Relationships. Now, this isn't fact and this isn't anywhere in scripture, I'm just taking a stab in the dark. Rebecca may have been one of those girls who didn't really think much about relationships. She may have been one of those really patient women who was concerned about other things aside from being a wife. But knowing how we women think, I'm sure the thought crossed her mind now and then. And so Rebecca heads to the well one day to get some water. Little did she know that the very trip she was making to that well was going to change her life forever.
The servant was waiting with a big mission on his hands. Find the woman who would continue to live out the promise that God had given Abraham. The woman who would marry Isaac and receive the blessing of God's covenant to make Abraham's descendants greater than the stars. This couldn't be an ordinary woman. This had to be a woman of God if she was going to carry out such an important task. And so the servant made it to the well and he waited. Praying that God would make it clearly known which woman she was, he watched the women come to the well to draw water. He decided that he'd seek out a girl with a servant's heart. One who was kind, generous. and caring. A woman who thought not of herself but of others. And so he came up with a little test. Any woman who was willing to not only give him a drink but also give water to his 10 camels would be the one for Isaac. He saw Rebecca approaching and he ran to ask her for a drink. Not only did she give him a drink, she ran up and down the hill with her jug so that she could give the camels enough to drink. Now, according to google, camels can drink up to 200 liters of water a day. Remember, there were 10 camels. You do the math. So here we see this woman serving a complete stranger. Spending her time and energy making sure he was refreshed as well as his camels. A woman who obviously was kind and caring and incredibly generous. One who could have easily just ignored him, assuming her hard work would be for nothing, and look the other way. But she didn't. She helped him out, and in return her life would be blessed in a way she never imagined.
Rebecca was going through life being obedient and doing what she was supposed to be doing. And not only that, she was making sure to serve those around her too, and not for selfish gain. She had no clue of the offer she was about to receive, an offer that was an answered prayer not only for the seeking servant, but possibly for her, too. And so if you think that this is about being a servant and acting nice to get a husband, you're wrong. This whole thing isn't just about getting married. Sure, that's part of it, but there's more to this story. Because Rebecca went to that well probably every day, and I'm sure every single day looked just about the same. She'd chat with the women, wait to draw her water, and then she'd return home. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to show up, meet a stranger, spend a significant amount of her time trucking up and down the hill to water his camels, and then take him home with her so he could ask her family's permission for her to marry Isaac. This was one of those divinely orchestrated events, but God had been preparing Rebecca for quite for some.
Maybe the Lord keeps sending you back the same place. Every day you go there and it looks the same. And it may not be a place that you want to be, so you feel weary and you're tired of it. You're tired of walking to the well over and over. You're tired of pulling up that heavy bucket every day and carrying it around. And you wonder if there is ever an end in sight. Yet maybe the Lord keeps sending you there for a reason. And maybe, your obedience is what he's working on. Because maybe the Lord has a really big plan for you yet you need to be consistent in your walk before He can trust you with it. And maybe, each day as you go there, he is preparing you for that perfect moment when you have that very divine appointment. Because now you know what you're doing. You know how to lower that bucket and bring it up again. Now, you're ready to take the next step, whatever it may be.
I've been in Rebecca's shoes before. Feeling the monotony of life and wanting more, wanting to do greater things than carry around a bucket of water every day. But the Lord places us where He needs us to be so that His plan is accomplished. And I realize that the trip to the well is always that for me. A time where God teaches me obedience, trust, and faith. Where I learn discipline and hard work. A time where I am given an opportunity to serve. And, as with so many women in the bible, a trip to the well usually means God is going to change your life in a way you would have never imagined on your own.
Jesus told us that He was the living water, and that whoever drank from that water would never thirst again. And so, keeping that in mind, keep walking to the well. Even when you feel tired, even when you're discouraged, when the trip is monotonous, and the view looks the same. Keep going, every day. Because even if you don't see it, there's always a benefit of going to the well. Dip your bucket in and draw up blessings. Draw up nourishment from the well of life. It's there for anyone who will come and drink. And trust me, when you keep on going to the well, your life will be changed, too. For when you make obedience, trust, consistency, service, kindness, and walks to the well a part of your daily life, you, too, will be a changed woman forever.
#582 - Because He does big things for us when we come to the well.
"The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master..." Genesis 24:26-27