The Temptation to go Ahead of God.

This past summer my husband and I decided that we no longer want to take part in what I now call “Commercialmas”  and what the local news called the “Christmas Creep”, the stores already carrying all Christmas things decorative.  This past summer we gave away our tree and all the decorations as well as an extensive village..  and we decided that in late September we would tell our family that we no longer want to celebrate the day.  We were invited to a family member’s house for dinner this past Sunday and it seemed a perfect time to tell them of our plans, and the next day my husband would have emailed another family member, also telling them of our plans.  But something happened to change these plans and so this is the reason for this post.

This past Sunday the sermon was on Genesis 24, when Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac after the death of Isaac’s mother Sarah.  The speaker went through the chapter, and how Abraham told the servant (V3-4) “I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the god of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites…but thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac”..

But the servant thought that perhaps the maiden would not want to follow him, he wanted to do things his way instead of waiting on the LORD, and so he said (V5) “if the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?”  This is speculation on the servant’s part that the woman would not want to follow.  But Abraham trusted that (V7) “the LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me…he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.”  The servant must not consider what might happen, he must be obedient to his master, and trust that the LORD God is in control.

So the servant swore to do as Abraham said, and departed and he also prayed  (V12) “O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.”  and then he made specific request regarding the woman who would come to a well, and give water to the servant and to his camels, “let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shown kindness unto my master.”

 

And so it was Rebekah that came to the well, gave water to the servant and watered his camels, just as the servant had prayed for.  When Rebekah went to the home of Rebekah,  the servant recounted the story of how he came to be there, and Rebekah’s brother and father said V50) “The thing proceedeth from the LORD“:…..”  and Rebekah accompanies the servant back to his country,  and Isaac met Rebekah in a field, and she became his wife.  So that in very brief form,  the story of specific prayer answered, and of Abraham’s trust in the LORD God to provide a wife for Isaac from his own kindred.
After this the speaker told us of a time when he was in bible school and they were instructed to go and give out bibles.  Of how a fellow went into a restaurant and prayed “Lord, if you want me to give out bibles, please send the person for whom the bible is intended”  and it wasn’t long before someone came and asked to sit at his table..  the Lord’s answer to his prayer.  This really spoke to my heart, and I wondered if it was such a good idea for me to use a family dinner as the time to tell them that we do not want to celebrate Christmas.   So when I got home I prayed “Lord, if you want us to not celebrate the day, please give the opportunity by having the subject of Christmas come up.”

And so you can guess what happened, we went for dinner and I was kept busy by my daughter-in-law and my granddaughter showing me photos and videos of their summer activities and then we had a lovely dinner.  The subject of Christmas did not come up so I kept my mouth closed.   And when we drove home I think my husband and I were both a little relieved.  It is one thing for us to not want to celebrate the day, but can we force that on others?  So we will wait and see what happens next.   We will not be the ones to suggest getting together at Christmas.

It is always a temptation to do what we think we want to do, but that might not and probably will not be what the Lord’s will is for us.  Far better to trust in the Lord and follow his lead, otherwise we will still do what the Lord’s will is for us, but we might be sadder if wiser along the way.

Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the LORD directeth his steps.”

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.