What is Your Wish?

Genesis 24:50

Abraham’s wish was that his son Isaac would marry a relative from his home country and not marry a local  woman from the land of Canaan. Therefore he made his servant promise that he would go back to Abraham’s home country to the city of Nahor and choose a wife for Isaac. As the servant arrived in Nahor, he prayed.

 “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful to my master Abraham. Here I am, standing by the spring, and the daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out to draw water. I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” (Gen. 12:12-14 NET)

Before the servant finished praying, Rebekah arrived at the well to get water. What transpired immediately afterward is precisely what the servant had prayed. Then Rebekah brought the servant to her home and rushed to tell her family what had happened. As they sat down for dinner, the servant refused to eat, insisting that he first explain his purpose for being there. After the servant explained that he was sent by Abraham, that God had blessed his master, and the promise he made to Abraham to find a wife for Isaac from among Abraham’s relative. The servant continued to explain how God answered his prayers through Rebekah and then concluded, saying to Rebekah’s father and brother,

Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.

To Abraham’s servant, Bethuel and Laban replied.

 “This is the Lord’s doing. Our wishes are of no concern. Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided. (Gen. 24:50-51 NET)

Bethuel and Laban, after hearing the account of things from Abraham’s servant, knew this was from the hand of God. Wisely, they answered, “Our wishes are of no concern.” They knew this was not a matter of what they wanted. Yes, most likely they had an opinion or a desire one way or another; however, whatever their opinion or their desires were, it had no bearing on the situation since it was clear what God wanted. They key phrase that elicited their response is, “This is the LORD’S doing.”

How often have we said, “Our wishes are of no concern,” in regards to a decision or to a situation? The prevalent thinking for most of us is, “My wishes are of primary concern.” We don’t often think of what God wants; what His wishes are. Sadly enough, even when circumstances and godly counsel point to God’s hand at work, we still embrace our wishes instead of submitted to His wishes. It is to our detriment that we do so. By clinging to our wishes, we short-circuit God’s blessings. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:32) God is, by nature, gracious and loving. We cling to our myopic wishes because we do not believe. We do not believe that His plan is better or that He really wants to give us abundant life.

We should hold our wishes lightly, with an opened hand even as we fix our eyes on Him. Be ready to say at any time, “Our wishes are of no concern.” We can say this because, to God, we are of great concern. “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perishbut have eternal life.” This is one of the great paradoxes of the Christian life – in denying ourselves we find life. “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and because of the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35 NET)