Encouragement for Today - February 8, 2006
2/8/06
Encouragement for Today
“Follow the Leader”
Lysa TerKeurst, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries
Key Verse:
Genesis 24:58-60, “So they called Rebekah and asked her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ ‘I will go,’ she said. So they sent their sister on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, ‘Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.’” (NIV)
Devotion:
Have you ever been asked to make a commitment to someone or something in which you did not know what the outcome might be? It’s one of those scary faith things where God calls us out on a journey in which we have no idea where we will end up. Entering a marriage can be the same way. In today’s key verse, Rebekah faced this challenge head on.
Abraham had sent his servant to find a wife for his beloved son, Isaac. The servant set out on the mission, determined to trust God to provide the perfect mate for his master’s son. He took an allotment of camels (as was an appropriate gift to bestow on the father of such a bride) along with a heart of faith that 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 24:12-14, NIV)
Before he even finished praying this, Rebekah came along and fulfilled his request – prayer answered.
It would seem blatantly obvious to Abraham’s servant and all of us reading this precious story, that Rebekah was the chosen one for Isaac…and she was. But do you ever wonder what Rebekah thought when the strange servant told her that God meant for her to be the wife of his master’s son whom she had never even met? Not only that, but she must travel alone with him to a new home to live with another strange man and follow him to a place where God had promised his father an inheritance that even he had never seen.
There have been many times where I did not want to answer as Rebekah; that I would go with this man. God’s perfect provision brought my husband and me together. We have seen prayers for each other answered and the reality that we are meant for one another is unquestionable. However, in my obstinate frustration of the unknown I’ve wanted to run in the opposite direction of his leading. In fact, the only thing that kept me from running was my relationship with God and my commitment to honor Him. I want to be more like Rebekah; she saw God answer the servant’s prayer and knew He had ordained this meeting for the purpose of her to meet her true love. Her willingness to do so lay in her commitment to the Lord to trust Him with her future and her mate.
To follow the leadership and headship of your spouse in a marriage is many times a struggle of faith. It’s not something with which you will always comfortable. There will be foreign lands to cross through, strangers to encounter at every corner, and family to leave behind. Sometimes the only thing keeping us going are the prayers we see God answer in our desperation. Following your God-appointed leader is a choice to ultimately trust God’s Sovereignty – He is in control of your husband, his choices, and your ultimate well-being. I am glad I’ve stayed true to my commitment to follow my husband because just like Rebekah, I’ve been blessed beyond measure.
My Prayer for Today:
Loving God, You alone have given me the blessing of my husband. Your desire is that we are one flesh, moving together as a unit through this world. Help me to take positive actions toward loving him as the leader of our home even when the future seems uncertain.
Application Steps:
Re-read today’s key verse. Notice that the blessing Rebekah’s family bestowed on her did not come until she verbally committed to going with her man and started on her way.
- Next time you feel yourself questioning God’s Sovereignty in a situation where your husband is concerned, be willing to step out with your man instead of running.
- If you are seriously concerned about a decision your husband wants to make, do not fear coming to him and discussing it. Lines of communication need to always be open between husband and wife. If he wants to do something that blatantly goes against Scripture, it is wise to point that out.
- Trust that God is ultimately in control of your life, even if your spouse is an unbeliever. Though you are one flesh, God will sanctify the unbelieving spouse through the believing spouse (1 Corinthians 7:14).
Reflection Points:
Has there ever been a time in your life when God led you to do something that required you to step out before you could see the blessing He had in store for you?
How did you handle this kind of situation? What questions went through your mind?
Did you blatantly run from the Lord’s obvious leading in the situation?
If you stepped out regardless of the certainty or uncertainty of the situation, how did God bless you?
Power Verses:
Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” (NIV)
James 3:16-17, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (NIV)
1 Peter 5:5, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (NIV)
1 Peter 3:5-6, “For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” (NIV)
Additional Resources:
Capture His Heart, by Lysa TerKeurst
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/newresources_captureHis.htm
Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed, by Lysa TerKeurst
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/newresources_radicallyObedient.htm
Becoming the Woman of His Dreams, by Sharon Jaynes
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/newresources_becomingTheWom.htm
