Abraham's Servant

There's a story in Genesis 24 which God has me returning to again and again. It's the story of Abraham sending his servant out to Abraham's own country and his own people to find a bride for his son, Isaac. Abraham told his servant that the Lord, the God of heaven, who made an oath with him, would send his angel before the servant so that he could get a wife from there. The servant left taking with him all kinds of good things from his master in order to woo a bride for Isaac. The servant prayed to God for success in finding this bride and was led directly to Rebekah, the woman who would become Isaac's bride.

Abraham used to be "Abram" until God (Yahweh) came along and made a covenant with him. Someone once told me that in Biblical times, when a covenant was made, the two parties would take part of the other person's name and insert it into their name. Their new name, then, became a constant reminder to them that they were in a covenant relationship with this other person. This seems to be the case with Abram. A part of God (the A-H in Yahweh) became part of Abraham.

I believe this story is for us today. I believe that we, as believers in Christ, are like Abraham's servant. God has called us to go forth and find a Bride for His own son, Jesus. God gives us all kinds of good gifts to "woo" the Bride for Christ. I can't say for certain, but I believe He even sends his angel out before us in order to direct us to the right person. I think that, as this servant, I need to be spending more time in prayer asking for God's favor in leading me to those whom He has chosen for His Son's Bride. Maybe He will grant me success as well.

Make Me Bigger on the Inside

Have you ever had God open your eyes to areas in which you were blind before? God has been doing that for me. In several areas. Sometimes it's exhausting work. Necessary, but exhausting. As God continues to chip away at those things, all I can pray is, "Make me bigger on the inside. Less of me means more room for You."