Searching or Being Accompanied, July 6, 2008

Genesis 24
Matthew 1116-19, 25-30

We are, all of us, SEARCHING... Searching for someone to share life with, searching for wisdom... searching for understanding, searching for meaning... This morning's readings suggest that what we need to do, is not so much search, as open our eyes to see that we are being accompanied on life's journey.

The people of faith during the Roman Empire of the Caesars, sought a prophet who would bless them and tell them everything is going to be all right; instead, they had John the Baptist, who challenged them as sinners, a brood of vipers, needing to repent and be washed clean. After John, they sought another like him, going further to critique their times, who would wring his hands and mourn loss, instead God provided the Christ, who celebrated with outcasts, who forgave those who had been rejected by the world. We search for what we know, what we think is familiar, as if what comforts is what we need, as if satiating our desires, filling our gas tanks, paying our debts, makes our problems disappear. That would be a cheap grace, a false faith that only substantiates what we want to hear. The word of faith is DO NOT SETTLE, do not GO BACK, do not accept a lowest common denominator, search one WHO WILL JOURNEY WITH YOU.

The story of Genesis led us with Abraham to leave home, kinsmen, everything familiar, to wander with God; searching for the Promised Land, searching for what is promised to future generations, searching for future generations from a barren lifeless couple 75 and 100 years of age who had hope, trusted and believed, BELIEVED GOD would be STEADFAST & LOYAL. As much as the Call of Abraham, the Visitation and Laughter of Sarah, the Birth of Isaac and Abraham's test of Sacrificing Isaac, this morning's Genesis story of the WOOING of Rebekah is essential to God's Promise. For without a mate for Abraham's son, how are there to be future generations to inherit the land.

Which sets up the question of this passage.
SHOULD ISAAC GO BACK, back to where Abram and Sara came from?
SHOULD ISAAC intermarry and dissolve into the culture of the Canaanites?
Instead, Abraham sends his servant searching for a partner for the Promise. In many ways the partner for Isaac is more like Father Abraham than like Isaac. How often in life, rather than finding our own mirror in a partner, we find one who is like the best qualities of our parent. Rebekah like Abraham must be one willing to leave home and family, everything she has ever known to wander where God leads, for the hope of promise to future generations you will not see.

There is a subtle reality here, we need to name. CHOICE is a matter of prosperity. Had Abraham been poor, they could not have afforded to search for Rebekah. In impoverished places, there is not a choice between beef and fish for the third meal of the day, but rather whether you have rice to make one meal of?

In another congregation, we had a couple who had had an arranged marriage, who had never met until their wedding. After 35 years of marriage, she used to say that “No matter whom you marry, they are not perfect, but you can grow to love anyone, someone who is your partner throughout life, who is loyal and steadfast and kind.

Abraham does not send just any servant, this unnamed servant has been with him longer than any other. The unnamed servant is loyal and steadfast. Much like any of us, the servant takes what he has been given and goes where he was told, hundreds of miles, with a loaded caravan of camels.
Then comes the question that distinguishes this as a story of faith, from a simple genealogy of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.
How does a servant find a Partner for The Promise of Abraham?
Do you go on the Internet to MATCH DOT COM?
SERVANTS SEEKING WOMEN SEEKING MEN: Nice Jewish boy, must enjoy travel.
Do you go to SINGLES BARS? A Matchmaker?
Do you go to CHURCH?
All these have been known to work, but many of us try to hard, we control our searching, rather than trusting God will provide/God will fulfill the Promise.
The servant does something completely unexpected, a simple act of faith.
NOT CIRCUMCISION, NOT TAKING OFF SHOES, or even MAKING A SACRIFICE.
The servant prays for God's guidance, for loyalty and steadfast trust.

Now understand, that if you go to take a Chemistry Midterm, and do not study and prepare, and you pray, “LORD, Give me the right answers.” Probably not going to work. But in the face of what appear to be monumental decisions, we can over-think and control and plan until there is no room for God. The prayer which the servant prays, is not seeking a miracle: LORD TAKE MY CANCER AWAY! Neither is the Prayer seeming to change the world, LORD BRING PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST! But rather, the prayer recounts that God has been steadfast and loyal and kind, the servant has done everything they possible could, so now it is up to God.

But how can the servant be confident the choice is right? To demonstrate KINDNESS he asks for a cup of water, and the one who responds offering for his camels as well is kind. Then he observes and reflects for surely it would take a long time to provide water to a caravan of camels with a watering can. The servant goes with her to her family, and negotiates the dowry, proving that his master can provide for her and that he is devoted. The servant describes his faith and prayer that led him to her, and no one laughs or scoffs, or doubts. Then he asks that she leave home and family to travel with him, demonstrating her commitment and loyalty to the promise. Finally they go. This passage is often used in weddings, to name love at first sight, Rebekah and the servant stop to rest atop a hill overlooking the valley. As she looks down over the land, she sees a man working, just then the man looks up, and across the distance, their eyes meet, and they fall in love.

While the servant is given a voice in this passage, we never learn their name. While traveling a far distance, on an impossible search, he knows he is being led by a spirit. I share with you that this has been a hard six weeks for many reasons, and in the midst of it someone helped celebrate a birthday, someone brought sherbet made from a family recipe, someone brought a nosegay of flowers from their garden, someone brought a quart of strawberries, someone invited us to take part in the Lightning Regatta. I am convinced these were acts of the Holy Spirit in our midst. And I am very thankful and humbled.

The words from Matthew are among the best loved. “All who are weary and overburdened take my yoke upon you.” What we need to remember, is that a YOKE always fit upon the shoulders of TWO OXEN. You cannot have a YOKE OF OX, it would be like a PAIR OF SOCK, or ONE PANT. What Jesus describes is that he/the Holy Spirit has already accepted the yoke and simply awaits our joining to walk along beside.

This is a fellowship, you cannot do alone. You cannot celebrate BAPTIZE yourself, or CELEBRATE COMMUNION in private, because we share together. this is part of the nature of a Sacrament, part of being the body of Christ.