Genesis 24 tells the story of how a wife was found for Abraham’s son Isaac. This is what happens, but the meaning of the story is much more significant than the making of a good match. God had promised that Abraham would become a great nation which would bring blessing to the earth. It was therefore vital that Abraham’s family did not assimilate into the pagan people around them through intermarriage. Maintaining this distinctness will be a significant theme in the Law of Moses and here Abraham’s efforts anticipate this. I have emphasised that the covenant which God made with Abraham was unconditional. That means that Abraham did not do anything to earn the favour that God gave him. It does not mean, however, that Abraham is completely passive or that his choices are unimportant. Abraham is acting in faith here with a view to the big picture of what God is bringing about for him. God has made promises over our lives also, but there are things we must do to step into the fulfilment of these promises. We do not thereby earn anything. Rather, these are actions of faith by which we step forward into the realisation of God’s purpose for our lives. We do not receive the fulfilment of God’s promises passively but actively. They are realised as we step forward into them. Do something every day to step forward. Life is a journey, and every decision of faith and obedience moves us further forward into the fulfilment of God’s purpose for us.
Reflect on what you can do to step forward into the purpose that God has for you.
Read Genesis 24.
