Being in the Way

Genesis 24:27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.

The eldest servant of Abraham’s house (presumably Eliezer, Genesis 24:3 w/ 15:2) had been sent to the land of Abraham’s people to find a bride for Isaac.  Standing by a well of water, he had prayed that God would lead him to the right girl.  Up walked a young lady by the name of Rebekah, and in answer to his prayer, she had offered him drink from the well – and watered all his camels. 

The servant finds out that this Rebekah is the daughter of Bethuel, Abraham’s nephew.  She invites him to her father’s house, and here the servant offers this word of thanks and praise to the God of his master Abraham. 

And he makes an interesting statement.  I being in the way, the LORD led me…

The Power of Example

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

To me, the implication here is that to break the commandments is to teach men to do so.  That breaking and teaching to break are synonymous.  To do one is to do the other.

I don’t think Jesus is calling anyone out for heading up a course of study in Commandment Breaking 101.  Rather, He’s speaking to the power of example.

God's Enabling Grace

Picked up a practical application my last time through the timeless account of Noah, the ark, and the worldwide flood. 

In Genesis 6, when God told Noah He was going to send a flood and gave Noah instruction as to how to build the ark, He commanded Noah to BRING two of every sort of every living them onto the ark, to keep them alive (vv. 19-20).

In Genesis 7, once the ark was completed, God told Noah to come into the ark and TAKE seven pair of every clean beast, to keep seed alive upon the face of the earth (vv. 1-3).

When I was young, my cousin had this really cool Nintendo game where you were Noah, and you had to go out and collect all the animals of the forest, and bring them back to the ark. 

That’s a lot better than most video game concepts out there, but I’m pretty sure that’s not exactly how it went.  Genesis 7:9 records the narrative this way, “There WENT IN two and two UNTO NOAH into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.”

Poured Out

Some things we can and ought to pour out before the LORD:

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

1 Samuel 1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

Job 16:20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

Psalm 142:2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.

Isaiah 26:16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

Lamentations 2:19 Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord:

God's Enemies

Psalm 139:20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

The Lord made it very clear that He would not hold the man guiltless that takes His name in vain (Exodus 20:7).  And yet, I seem to keep hearing His name used flippantly by those who would never claim to be opposed to Him – even by those who claim to know and love Him. 

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be involved in anything that might identify me as God’s enemy.  So find another phrase to use to sound surprised.  Think of something else to say to express shock or amazement or some other emotion.  But leave God’s name out of it. 

His enemies take His name in vain.  His people pray in His name (John 15:16), sing praise to His name (Hebrews 13:15), and declare His name among the heathen (Psalm 96:3).  Which side are you on?

Before the gods

Psalm 138:1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

We know we should sing and pray and praise the Lord and glorify God regardless of whoever is or isn’t listening because God sees it, God hears it, and it pleases Him. 

But a thought struck me as I read this verse.  Perhaps we should also do all those things because of someone else other than the Lord who might see or hear.  David said, “before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” 

Daily Bread

Psalm 136 is unique in that all 26 verses in the Psalm end with the phrase “for his mercy endureth for ever.”  It’s obviously a song of praise (I’d love to hear it sung) listing many reasons to “give thanks to the Lord” (vv. 1, 2, 3, 26).  One of which is found in verse 25:

Psalm 136:25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Did you eat today?  Breakfast?  Lunch?  Dinner?  A snack or two in between?  Did you thank God for it?  Is that just a habit, or was it truly an expression of thanks and an acknowledgement of God as the true source of that provision?