Foundations Week 3, Day 4

Scripture Read:  Genesis 24
Title: God's Sovereignty
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H.E.A.R. Entry
(H) Highlight verse::  "And he said, 'Oh LORD God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast to my master Abraham."  Genesis 24:13

(E) Explain:  Abraham's wife, Sarah, died at the age of 127 years old and in chapter 24 we read that Abraham was well advanced in years.  If this account is chronological and happened shortly after the death of Sarah, then we can deduce that Abraham was around 137 years old.  Isaac would have been  around 37 years old.  Abraham has been blessed by God in all things and he knew because of his age, his days on earth were numbered.  He had gave his servant a task to go out and find a wife for his son Isaac.  He specifically told him not to find a wife from Canaan, but he was to find his wife from his own family back in the country he came from. 
The servant was obedient and he tool his master's command very serious.  He knew that he could not do this task in his own power, so He prays to the LORD and asks for His guidance and hand in this search process.  The servant was specific in his prayer, because he wanted to know for certain that the woman that he chooses is the one God brings to him.  After this specific prayer the servant meets Rebekah.  She meets the criteria perfectly and the encounter happens exactly the way he prayed it would.  Upon receiving confirmation he brings Rebekah back to Isaac and the two were married.
We can learn a lot from the servant because his first response upon receiving confirmation is worship and prayer.  He praises God for guiding him and answering his prayer.  Because of the sovereignty of God and the obedience of the servant, God's promise is fulfilled and the blessing of Isaac and the covenant to Abraham will continue..  

(A) Application: This passage is very relevant for today.  In it I see the sovereignty of God.  Now, I think it is important to know that sovereignty means that God is in control, but this does not mean that humans don't have a role or responsibility to play in accomplishing God's will.  In this passage I see that some of the key components of God's will being accomplished is based on the servant. 

1. The first component is that the servant is obedient.  He knew God was blessing Abraham and he respected and loved his master, thus he was obedient to his command to go and find a wife .
2. The second component is the servant knew that he could not accomplish this task on his own.  He knew his limitations.  He knew that the task before him was much more than just going out and finding any person to marry Isaac.  He knew that God had the foreknowledge and resources to give him the success he needed.
3. The third component is since the servant knew his limitations, he went to God in prayer for guidance.  The servant didn't just pray, though, the servant prayed a specific prayer with a lot of stipulations.  He wanted to make sure that the woman he found was the woman that God had already picked out for Isaac.
4. The fourth component is worship.  Once the servant found Rebekah he worshiped God for giving him success.  

These components apply for me and you today.  As people of God we know God is sovereign and that He is in charge.  However, we have a role and responsibility in our lives to meet up with God as we pursue His will.  I/we need to be obedient, we need to know our limitations, we need to continually prayer specific prayers and once God gives to us the desires of our hearts we need to respond in thankful worship for successfully guiding us in our discovery of His will.

(R) Respond:  God I pray you grant me success today and I pursue you and seek your will in my life.  May I be obedient, understanding of my gifts and limitations, prayerful and worshipful to you as you guide me in your ways and show me your will and purposes for me.