Gospel Outreach International

Have you ever wondered what it really means to say yes to God? Not just the moment of decision, but everything that follows, the commitment it carries, the life it calls you into, and the relationship it opens up? This study takes us into one of the oldest love stories in the Bible, and hidden within its details are some of the most profound truths about who we are as followers of Christ, and what it means to belong to him.

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. Genesis 24:1

• Oaths and commitments are serious in God’s eyes; when we come to Christ we are making an eternal commitment to follow him, not a casual or temporary one.
• Christians are called to be separate from the world, distinctly different in how they live, think and act.
• The doctrine of separation applies not only to marriage but to business and other close relationships, because it is easier to be pulled down than to lift someone up.
• Typology is a legitimate and valuable way of reading the Old Testament, where people, objects and events serve as pictures pointing to Christ and the church.
• The church is described in the New Testament as the bride of Christ, and the story of finding a wife for Isaac is a picture of that relationship.
• Rebecca’s choice to leave everything and go to a man she had never met mirrors the Christian’s choice to follow Christ based on what they have heard, not what they have seen.
• God does not force anyone to follow him; salvation is a free and willing choice, and that is an expression of his grace.
• Asking God for signs or confirmation is not wrong; it is a legitimate way of seeking guidance, as seen in both Gideon and Abraham’s servant.
• When signs or visions are received, they must be interpreted carefully and prayerfully, ideally with the counsel of trusted believers.
• Gratitude and worship should be our first response to God’s goodness, before we enjoy the practical blessings he provides.
• Spiritual intimacy with Christ should grow so deep that we begin to think, speak and act as he does.
• Marriage is designed by God as one man and one woman, and Christians are called to honour that design in their relationships and conduct.
• The Bible uses several modes of communication including plain teaching, parable, poetry and typology, and each must be interpreted appropriately.
• The physical strength Rebecca showed in drawing water for ten camels is presented as a challenge to believers to persevere and not give up when they grow tired.

The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD Genesis 24:26

At the heart of this study is a simple but extraordinary truth: Jesus chose you, and he invites you to choose him back. Rebecca left everything familiar to go to a man she had only heard about, trusting the reports of someone who knew him. That is exactly what faith looks like. We have not seen Christ, but we have heard who he is, what he has done, and what he promises, and we get to respond. If you have made that response, you are not just a follower or a servant. You are part of his bride, called into a relationship that grows closer, deeper and more intimate the more you give yourself to it. That is who Jesus is in this story, the beloved waiting at the end of the journey, ready to bring you in and make you his own.

Bible References

• Genesis 24:
• Genesis 47:9
• Matthew 5:16
• Judges:6