Genesis 22:19-24: a reflection

19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba. 20After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Just after the testing of Abraham on the mountain, a quiet piece of news arrives: his brother Nahor has had children, among them a granddaughter named Rebekah, who would one day become the wife of Isaac. Abraham was told, the account notes, that his brother Nahor's wife had borne children; and among them, Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. At the time, this was just family news, a list of a brother's children born far away. But quietly, unknown to Abraham, God was already preparing for the future: among these newly named children was Rebekah, the very woman who would become Isaac's wife and carry forward the promise. God was providing for a need before it was even felt. This shows how God quietly prepares and provides for our future before we see it. God quietly prepares and provides for the future before we see it. Provision for tomorrow may already be at work, unknown to us. God is at work for our future before we know we need it. Trust that God is preparing what we will need before we see it.

Notice the quiet providence in this bit of family news. It comes right after the dramatic testing of Abraham, and seems, at first, like a simple genealogical note: Abraham's brother Nahor has had children. But tucked into the list is a name that matters greatly: Rebekah. She was, at this point, simply a newborn granddaughter of Abraham's brother, far away. But she would one day become the wife of Isaac, the mother of Jacob, carrying forward the very promise God had made to Abraham. Unknown to Abraham, and long before the need would arise, God was already preparing the one who would meet it; the wife Isaac would need was already being born. This reveals something quietly reassuring about God's providence. God is at work for our future before we see it, before we even feel the need. Provision for tomorrow's needs may already be underway today, unknown to us, in ways and places we cannot see. Just as Rebekah was being born while Abraham knew nothing of the need she would one day meet, so God may already be preparing and providing for what we will need, long before we recognize the need ourselves. This encourages us to trust God with our future, knowing he is already at work in it, preparing what we will need before we see it. We do well to trust that God is quietly preparing and providing for our future, at work in it before we even know our need. Trust that God is at work for your future before you see it. Provision for tomorrow may already be underway, unknown to you. God prepares what you will need before you feel the need. Rest in a God who provides for the future you cannot yet see.

That is worth resting in, for God quietly prepares and provides for our future before we see it, as Rebekah was being born before Isaac's need for a wife arose. We can worry about future needs as though nothing were being done; but even as Abraham knew nothing of it, God was preparing Rebekah, who would meet a need not yet felt. God is at work ahead of us. When you worry about the future, remember that God may already be at work in it, preparing what you will need before you see the need, as he prepared Rebekah. Trust that God is quietly preparing and providing for your future before you see it, at work in it before you even feel your need, as just after the testing of Abraham a quiet piece of news arrived that his brother Nahor had children, among them a granddaughter named Rebekah who would one day become the wife of Isaac; for at the time this was just family news, a list of a brother's children born far away, but quietly and unknown to Abraham God was already preparing for the future, since among these newly named children was Rebekah, the very woman who would become Isaac's wife and carry forward the promise, God providing for a need before it was even felt, which reveals something quietly reassuring about God's providence, that he is at work for our future before we see it and before we even feel the need, provision for tomorrow's needs already underway today in ways and places we cannot see, just as Rebekah was being born while Abraham knew nothing of the need she would meet, so God may already be preparing and providing for what we will need long before we recognize the need ourselves, which encourages us to trust God with our future knowing he is already at work in it, so that we do well to trust that God is quietly preparing and providing for our future.

Lord, just after the testing of Abraham on the mountain, a quiet piece of news arrives: his brother Nahor has had children, among them a granddaughter named Rebekah, who would one day become the wife of Isaac. Abraham was told that his brother Nahor's wife had borne children; and among them, Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. At the time, this was just family news, a list of a brother's children born far away. But quietly, unknown to Abraham, you were already preparing for the future: among these newly named children was Rebekah, the very woman who would become Isaac's wife and carry forward the promise. You were providing for a need before it was even felt. Show me the quiet providence in this bit of family news. It comes right after the dramatic testing of Abraham, and seems, at first, like a simple genealogical note. But tucked into the list is a name that matters greatly: Rebekah. She was, at this point, simply a newborn granddaughter of Abraham's brother, far away. But she would one day become the wife of Isaac, carrying forward the very promise you had made to Abraham. Unknown to Abraham, and long before the need would arise, you were already preparing the one who would meet it. This reveals something quietly reassuring about your providence. You are at work for my future before I see it, before I even feel the need. Provision for tomorrow's needs may already be underway today, unknown to me, in ways and places I cannot see. Just as Rebekah was being born while Abraham knew nothing of the need she would one day meet, so you may already be preparing and providing for what I will need, long before I recognize the need myself. This encourages me to trust you with my future. Take that to my heart. When I worry about the future, help me remember, Lord, that you may already be at work in it, quietly preparing and providing what I will need before I even feel the need, as you prepared Rebekah, and to rest in a God who provides for the future I cannot yet see.