Sovereignty in Our Calling

Genesis 24:22-31

22 So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, 23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?”  24 So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah's son, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.”  26 Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. 27 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren.” 28 So the young woman ran and told her mother's household these things.  29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. 30 So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. 31 And he said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.” 

After the man Isaac sent found Rebekah according to the fleece test with the water for both himself and the ten camels, he waited for the camels to all finish.  Then he brought out the jewelry of promise as an engagement gift, conditional of course on the proposal’s acceptance by her and her family.  When he asked who she was and found out that she was a relative of Abraham, he bowed down presumably to pray and thank God as he worshipped Him for finding her by such odd means.  God had led him to find the right one by odd means, which is a demonstration of His sovereign work of grace and mercy.  Now Isaac would not have a wife outside of God’s people and Abraham would see that before he died.  Rebekah went to tell her mother and family, and her brother Laban heard the tale and went to the man from Abraham to offer blessings and hospitality.  We can learn from this to let God guide our efforts, seek His honor and glory in what we pursue, and show hospitality and grace to His people in going about our Father’s business. Acknowledge His sovereignty in our work.