Abraham sent a servant to a faraway land to find a wife for his son, Isaac. The servant gave the Lord a very specific prayer request, something like, “If I do this, and a young woman comes up and does that, then let that woman be the one for Isaac.”
I’ve not prayed quite like that but do
remember one outrageous request. We lived in Alaska and I was drawn to some scrimshaw
jewelry. I talked to God about it saying I would like to have some but couldn’t
think of any reason He should give it to me except that He loved me. That was a
much more brazen a prayer than the servant of Abraham, but I’ve since wondered if
God likes those prayers.
He answered mine. I went to the shop
where I saw the jewelry, told the shop owner I could not afford them, and she
said, “Tell you what, I’ll trade you two pieces you like for one of your
paintings.”
That experience still gives me goose
bumps, and I’m sure the servant of Abraham had a similar reaction. God answered
his prayer too; what he asked for happened exactly as he had asked. Of course, “The
man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord.”
(Genesis 24:26)
The story also had a happy ending. The young
woman went with the servant and was given to Abraham’s son. Would this ‘arranged’
marriage work out? The Bible says, “Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah
his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So
Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” (Genesis 24:67)
God does answer radical prayers, maybe
not all of them, but He surprises His people with blessings we do not expect
and shows loving care to those who pray in faith and bring glory to His name.
This humbles me. If I were God, would I be so gracious?
The next bit of Scripture is about
another kind of love, the one the NT calls “the root of all evil.” This passage
explains one reason why this love is folly: “He who loves money will not be
satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is
vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has
their owner but to see them with his eyes?” (Ecclesiastes 5:10–11)
We watched part of the Barrett-Jackson
car collectors event on television tonight. While collecting things is not
necessarily evil, we wondered what motivates those who spend a great deal of
money and time buying things just to look at them. Most of the vehicles sold at
this auction sale will never be used. It is that way with many collections. They
only grow bigger, as if the collectors are never satisfied.
However, I cannot talk . . . I’m
collecting pictures on Pinterest, up in the hundreds. I say these are
inspiration for art quilts, but I will never live long enough to tap into that
collection and make that many quilts. Is such hoarding a desire to be secure? An
evidence of not being satisfied? Isn’t God’s provision enough?
These thoughts are also humbling. I worship
a God who has the power and authority to speak worlds into existence. Surely He
can provide what I need when I need it (and He does this all the time). He even
gave me that scrimshaw that I really didn’t need, as an expression
of His power and love. After many years, I’m still convinced this is so, and
just like Abraham’s servant, I am in awe of God.
The last passage tells of an incident
that took place in an area where people worshiped the king as a god. Jesus talked
to His disciples about the local chatter, asking who the people thought He was.
When the twelve gave Him a variety of answers, then He said to them, “But
who do you say that I am?”
At that time, they didn’t realize the
significance of this question, but since then, one of the clearest doctrines of
Christianity and the most vital test of being a child of God involves the
answer to that question. Only those who believe will understand and have the right
answer . . .
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon
Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who
is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15–17)
Peter understood, not because he was
smarter than the average fisherman, or because someone convinced him this was
true, but because God revealed this truth to Him. Humanity can know there is a God
by thoughtfully looking at nature (see Romans 12) and even thoughtfully
considering ourselves (we are made in His image), but nothing gives us a hint
that God Himself would pull on humanity and walk among us.
Even seeing Jesus in the flesh did not reveal
His identity. Many saw Him and had no clue that He was the great “I AM.” Had
they done so, they would not have put Him on a cross.
The amazing truth of the Gospel is that God
reveals Himself to whomever He chooses. We are helpless and unable to see Him
even though He is not far from any of us. Human wisdom and perception,
education, nothing can prepare us for the wonder of God with us – except God –
who does it by somehow opening our blind eyes. He uses many ways, including
answers to odd prayers, and even making us dissatisfied with everything else.
This too is humbling. What a wonder is
this God, and like the servant of Abraham, I bow my head and worship Him.
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