It is clear that God, the living God, took the central position in Abraham's life. That is why things went well for him. Not that Abraham got everything easily, not at all. For example, God had promised him that his offspring would be like the stars of heaven, but he and his wife grew old not having a child. Nevertheless God fulfilled His promises, as they remained faithful to Him. Futhermore, but God did not give them many children, but only one. And Sarah died without Isaac being married. When Isaac got married, he also got married to someone who was barren. He cried out to God and things changed.

Do not think that if you come to the Lord everything will just be easy. But though you meet up with obstacles and difficulties, that will strengthen you and make you a hero of heaven.

God needs you and He needs you to be a man of God. No engagement or marriage will be successful and blessed if it does not have God's blessing on it.

The Daily News wrote that 73% of SA children come from broken homes and that 150,000 children are effected by unhappy marriages. Why is it like this? Because God is not central to those marriages. The only thing that will help us, is that God is the centre of everything we do, and that we are faithful to Him.

v1. Abraham was very old when he began to look for a wife for his son.

v2. The mother had passed away about three years before, and Isaac was about 40 years of age. Why did he do this? Because he remembered God's promise and he knew that he was old and could die at any time. So he wanted to seek a wife for his son. It is important to note that he was touched by the Holy Spirit that this was the right time. He himself did not wait that long - he was probably about 30 when he got married. But Abraham was bonded to God and heard from Him what he should do. God knew that Rebekah was not yet ready before. It is wonderful to have fathers who walk with God!

v3. Abraham sent his chief servant to go back to his country to find a wife for his son. He made him swear/vow that he would not choose a wife from the Canaanites, for he knew them to be pagans and crooked and perverted. (Even Solomon, that man of wisdom, was brought down because of foreign women.)

v5. The servant asked whether he should take the son back there in case the girl did not want to come to them.

v6. Abraham refused - how could his son go back to where he had come from and from where God had called him?

We thank God for young people who can control themselves and abstain, keeping themselves pure until marriage.

If God brought down His wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah, why should He spare us who are engaging in those very same practices? Abraham refused that a pagan women be brought there - she would only corrupt things. And also when the servant asked about taking Isaac back there, Abraham refused, knowing the danger of his son falling into their practices and forgetting the promises of God.

Abraham was a different type of person. God said of him (in Genesis 18) that He knew him and he would teach his family to walk in His statutes. The same word "knew" was used in Genesis 3 when Adam knew his wife Eve and she brought forth a son. So Abraham and God had the most intimate, closest fellowship. This is where his Godly authority came from. Abraham withheld nothing from God. We need to be like that, too. Expose yourself to God totally, do not withhold anything. Otherwise you will lose your authority over your children and servants.

v12. The first thing the servant did when he got there was to pray. Always ask God first. Ask Him to work. Prayer is a marvelous thing! Blessed is the young man and young girl and parent who know what it is to pray. He prayed that the Lord would bring the one He had chosen.

v14. He asked for a sign, as Gideon also did. The one who would give him and his camels something to drink, would be the one.

v15 & 16. Rebekah came - a very beautiful girl. She was very beautiful, but she wasn't busy with her beauty, but to live for God.

She was a virgin. It can be seen, even in the way she walks.

Though Eleazar saw her beauty and characteristics of virginity, he was still not satisfied. He asked her for water and then watched quietly and observe that everything would be fulfilled as he had agreed with the Lord.

v21. He was not quick to take out the ring. He was not satisfied with her words, but wanted to see the actions. Any hypocrite can make promises and speak nice words. We can start with many good things, but where are we tomorrow? Do we give up, sick and tired of it?

She had to work hard - it was a heavy pitcher of water to carry. One thirsty camel can drink 25 gallons of water. Young people today would sweat if they had to fetch 25 litres of water, but that was over 100 litres per camel - over 1,000 for the 10 camels! She did not get tired but persevered, sweated it out. She did not give up half way but pushed through and finished it.

Eleazar knew he could not bring his master a wife that would put her hand to the plough and then look back, one who could not finish a thing. Such a girl would mess things up and spoil it where they were.

When she had finished, he took out the ring and gave it to her asking her where she was from. She was indeed from the very area where Abraham was from. He went there and testified of how God had led him.

They asked the girl what she felt, and she was satisfied and could go. She could see God in it and therefore went with him.

v65. After the long journey they arrived in that country, she saw a man from afar and asked Eleazar who that was. It was Isaac who went out at sunset to go and pray. He was a man of prayer, alone with God. He had no means of communication, but he was a man in contact through prayer. He did not go out to look for her, but he was in prayer. At that time God brought her. He was like Adam: God brought a deep sleep over him and then brought his wife. Adam had no sleepless nights, wanting a wife. The Bible says that we must first seek the Kingdom of God and all other things will be added to us. Isaac then went to speak to the servant (v.66).

v64. When Rebekah heard that it was Isaac, she got down from her camel and then took her veil and covered herself. That is what she did when she met her future husband. Young girls, you sit high on a camel - that is where your fathers put you. But when you go to meet your future husband, get down from that high camel. Otherwise it will not go well with your marriage (fathers tend to spoil their daughters).

This is true beauty. She humbled herself, was gracious, rejoiced, was patient, covered herself with a veil to meet her bridegroom in that matter. A great and exalted position - she was to get married to a man who sits at the tables of heaven. A girl who cannot get down from that high camel, is not a blessing to her family.

The Bible calls women daughters of Sarah. They are also daughters of Rebekah.

v67. Isaac brought her into his mothers tent and they were happy together. A marriage in God is a foretaste of heaven - otherwise it can be a cat and dog affair.

What is important, is that we walk with God. Do not raise offspring that just sit on street corners and die of Aids, but people who are light and salt to the world.