Title: God Helps When We Effort
Contents
Like earthly parents, Heavenly Father helps his children.
But God helps His children do things they cannot do on their own.
The mission of Eliezer, Abraham's servant, to find the bride of Isaac clearly demonstrates this truth.
Please see the background of this story.
It has been three years since Sarah died.
Abraham was still in the womb of Sarah, but he thought about finding a wife for Isaac.
He realized that if Isaac had no children, God's plan of salvation through his family would not be perpetuated.
God had promised that Abraham's seed would come through Isaac, not Ishmael.
So I started planning to get a wife for Isaac.
To start this job, you'll need someone to get the job right, right?
There was one who would faithfully fulfill the task of finding a bride for his son.
Eliezer, Abraham's old servant, was the right person for this job.
He became a good example of being used for God's covenant through Abraham.
Through his loyalty and faith, he comes to find the wife of Isaac.
If you look closely at this case, you will find the secret to receiving God's help.
1. Clear Mission
Eliezer clearly knew what Abraham wanted.
It was to visit Isaac's bride.
The servant asked for a clear explanation of his mission.
he asked. “If a woman does not want to follow me to this land, will I bring my lord’s son back to the land from which he came?” (Genesis 24:5)
So Abraham made it clear that he would not make a mistake. “Do not bring my son back there.”
(Genesis 24:8). Paraphrasing this saying, "If the woman refuses to come here, your mission is over."
You don't know how many problems a clear understanding before starting work prevents.
A solid work order is not guaranteed to avoid conflict when working, but it can protect each other.
But the most important thing is to have a clear understanding of what God has given us.
We must continue to consult God's Word to make sure we are doing well with our work orders.
2. A prayer plan
A wise Christian once said, "You can't do anything until you pray about it." This is indeed the truth.
Another person said “In relation to the work of the kingdom of God, God works only through prayer.”
Do you do this too?
Eliezer also prayed and was faithful to it.
Of course, Eliezer was helped by all possible humans.
He prepared ten pills of camel for food for the trip and a gift for the bride.
We cannot ignore the culture and social customs of the times we live in.
But on the other hand, the spiritual aspect is more important.
When the servant reached the city, he prayed for a sign from God.
In our day, as we have learned from the teachings of Jesus, we do not believe that the best way to discern God's will is to seek a sign.
Anyone who continues to seek a sign is refusing to take responsibility for their choices.
Such an attitude is worthless in the Christian life, which must be guided by the Holy Spirit.
Nevertheless, Eliezer prayed and asked for a sign.
We must remember that the Old Testament Age is different from the New Testament Age.
We must also pray in the New Testament age, where we live in the light of the gospel.
But we have to be careful about seeking clear targets.
The New Testament teaches that the Holy Spirit will move us.
3. Practical Considerations
The sign Eliezer sought was practical, not mediocre or mechanical.
In his prayer, he said, "Say to a girl, "Please, tilt the jar of water so that I may drink." And he answered, Drink, and I will give your camels a drink. I know that you are gracious to my master" (Genesis 24:14).
Eliezer wanted someone who was kind and not afraid to work.
Another practical consideration involved Rebekah and her family.
Eliezer let them know that he was representing a prominent figure.
He gave Rebekah a gold earring and two gold bracelets as gifts.
Her brother Laban was impressed.
When Laban saw the gift, he asked Eliezer, "Come in, you blessed of the Lord" (Genesis 24:31).
Eliezer refused to eat until the food was served before him, but he had told him his duty.
He was a very practical person.
He was not carried away by the emotional events associated with meeting Rebekah's family.
While both the Old and New Testaments inspire sympathy and motivation from emotions, they teach to avoid things like pathological sentimentality.
The reality of life's obligations is always with a solid goal and a clear vision.
Just because emotions are involved in all decisions, the emotions themselves shouldn't be left behind.
When emotions disappear without any fruit, the result will be morally binding.
Once we decide to do God's command, we must put it first among all the decisions of our lives.
Eliezer was not willing to wait even a few days for Rebekah to enjoy with her parents.
This story shows the determination of a person who has been blessed with all his best efforts.
Eliezer did not stop until he had completed his duty.
Dear church members!
We have a clear mission.
Today we are celebrating our 1 year anniversary. It is our mission to build a really good church.
In order to fulfill this mission, prayer and thorough planning are required.
To do God's will.
Along with prayer, we need our best efforts.
And God helps us when we take practical aspects into consideration. Hallelujah!