Grief

At this time, Abraham was 140 and Isaac 40, and Abraham thought that it was time for his son to marry. Three years had passed since the death of his mother Sarah, but he was still grieving for her, may be Abraham thought that a wife would help Isaac to get his mind off the death of his mother.

Faith

Abraham had a faithful and clever servant, Eliezer from Damascus, who he made swear that he would go and fetch a wife for Isaac from Abraham’s family in the Haran area in the north part of Mesopotamia. Eliezer had been a good and faithful servant, however, Abraham didn’t have his faith in his servant and he said. “The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, from the land of my family and my birth, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you and you will take a wife from there for my son”

Blessings

Abraham trusted in his God, but he didn’t just wait for things to happen, he made all the necessary preparation, like having the servant Eliezer swear to not take the easy way and pick a wife for Isaac among the daughters of Canaan. Eliezer had to travel all the way to Mesopotamia and look for a wife among the family of Abraham. Abraham did “set his hand to” the task and then God could bless the work of Eliezer seeking a wife for Isaac.

On the sofa

The same goes for you today, if in Jesus God blesses all the things you “set your hand to”, but “on the sofa” there is no blessings to be found.

Questions

1. How do the blessings work?
2. Can we trust in humans?