Will I go?

I was reading in Genesis this morning for my study program, and I read through the story of Isaac and Rebekah. First off, this story is kind of romantic to me, in that there's almost no romance at all. But we'll get to that.

Background: (Ideally you'll just go read Genesis chapter 24...) Abraham sent a servant to the land of his ancestors to find a wife for his son Isaac, through whom God would create His nation of Israel, and ultimately Jesus. The servant found Rebekah through God's providence, and Rebekah's father and brother agreed to send her with the servant to be Isaac's wife. From the biblical account, it sounds like vs. 55-59 occurs the morning following this agreement. It reads:

Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go." But he [Abraham's servant] said to them, "Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master." They said, "Let us call the young woman and ask her." And they called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go." So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men.

..."I will go." Rebekah was willing to leave her life, her family, her land, everything. In a day.

When I first read this, and even while I began to writing this, I was going down the route of thinking, How often do you drag your feet when God uses people to ask you to do things? Are you happy to do good and righteous things that will benefit the kingdom? Why does it always take you a few days to warm up to those ideas, if you ever actually do? The speed of Rebekah's response challenged me.

Upon further reflection, though, I realized it's not quite that simple:

First off, although it doesn't say that Rebekah loves God and that that's why she's making this decision, this is probably the case. For several reasons: First, God probably wouldn't have picked her to be Isaac's wife and used her to create His nation if she wasn't His. Second, she's from Abraham's country, and Abraham sent his servant to that land specifically for the purpose of finding a God-fearing wife for his son. (Scripture seems to imply that the Canaanites were a wicked people at this point.) Third, if she didn't fear God, she probably wouldn't have agreed to go and become Isaac's wife. ...So the point of all this is to say that Rebekah, as a believer, would have had the guidance of God as His daughter.

Second, Scripture is silent on the emotions Rebekah is feeling at the time. It doesn't say she's miserable, but it also doesn't say she's excited. She was probably scared. She probably wasn't looking forward to leaving her family and her country. We don't know. But it's clear that although being excited about what God is doing with one's life is ideal, it's not where our status rests. Scripture seems to deem actions, over (or in spite of) emotions, as most important. So Scripture challenges me to take action despite my emotion, but it also gives me rest that if I am acting in spite of my emotions, this is pleasing to God.

Third, Rebekah did not make this decision on a whim. She didn't even follow the advice of someone simply claiming to know God's plan. Abraham's servant provided plenty of evidence that his actions were sanctioned by God. He had spent the entire previous evening explaining all of God's directions concerning her (vs. 34-49). Rebekah's father and brother attested to this: vs. 50-51 says, "Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, 'The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has spoken.' " Abraham's servant clearly proves he and his word are trustworthy. Thus when he asks to leave immediately, Rebekah can rest in knowing that he is a man of God and is acting righteously. God has made his hand in these events very clear.

What does that mean for me? It's encouraging in that it reminds me that God has given us brains with which to analyze evidence that He provides. And it challenges me to use it. To seek direction through His word and His people, and to act upon that direction, regardless of how I feel. But I'm also comforted by His graciousness to Rebekah, to give her those things that enabled her to make that sort of life-changing decision quickly. To stand upon His promises and be sure of herself, because of that foundation. I am reminded that I am loved, and that that love will be evidenced in my life. I will be enabled as well, and I will certainly not be left to follow God alone.