Seeking God’s Guidance in All Things

I was just reading Genesis 24 and one thing I kept noticing is how much Abraham and company acknowledge God in the process of finding a wife for Isaac:

1. They swear an oath before the Lord about it (24:3)
2. Abraham recalls God’s promise (24:7)
3. Abraham recalls God’s orders in regard to a wife for Isaac (24:7)
4. The servant prays to the Lord for guidance on his journey (24:12)
5. The servant praises God for answering his prayer (24:27)
6. The servant acknowledges God’s guidance (24:27)
7. Laban acknowledges God’s blessing on the servant (24:31)
8. The servant acknowledges God’s blessings on Abraham (24:35)
9. The servant tells Rebekah’s family the story of his journey and purpose and keeps bringing up God’s involvement.
10. Last, the servant realizes that he has been successful (24:56)

This is a reminder to me to involve God in all of my plans in a much more obvious way. This is not about asking God to bless what I have already decided to do or getting God on board with my plans. This is about asking God to guide me and help me understand what His plans are. Too often I think seeking God’s guidance is a one time deal. Genesis 24 reminds me that seeking God’s counsel is not a one time event but is a continuous process.

⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.  ⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
¹² You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

– Isaiah 55:6-12

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