8 Faith-Building Lessons From Rebekah in the Bible
God is always guiding his children, even as we go about the everyday work of our lives. The story of Rebekah in the Bible is a helpful example of the way God blesses our everyday faithfulness. Today, we’ll explore eight practical lessons from Rebekah as we consider her example.
Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you remain faithful as you follow God.
Lessons From Rebekah in the Bible
After the death of his wife, Sarah, Abraham realized he was nearing the end of his life as well. Eager to find a wife (who was not a Canaanite) for his son Isaac, Abraham sent his servant back to his homeland to find a bride.
The servant prayed for God to reveal a woman by a specific sign: She would go beyond the customary courtesy of offering him water at a public well, and she would also water his camels.
The servant set out on his journey, and when he arrived at the well, a woman came out.
She gave him water. She then went a step further and watered his camels. He then learned the woman, Rebekah, was member of Abraham’s extended family. The servant praised God for guiding him to the right woman.
The servant gave Rebekah gifts and went to her home, where he explained the purpose of his expedition to her family. Rebekah’s family saw God’s hand in the situation and agreed to the marriage.
With her family’s blessing, Rebekah traveled to meet Isaac, and they were married.
8 Lessons From Rebekah in the Bible
This story seems strange to those of us who follow different customs today, but at the time, arranged marriages were the cultural norm. Nevertheless, Rebekah’s decision to trust God and leave her family required faith.
We can also learn from the steps Abraham’s servant took as he fulfilled his part of the story.
Here are eight lessons from Rebekah in the Bible.
1. We should specifically pray for God’s guidance.
The servant took his role seriously. He asked God for a specific sign to show that he had found the right woman for Isaac: She would draw water for him as well as his camels.
The servant wasn’t blindly asking God for a miraculous sign; he was asking God to reveal an indication of character. He was looking for a woman with a servant’s heart. Any woman who would go beyond the customary expectation of offering water to a traveling man and also water his camels showed that she had a servant’s heart.
When we are seeking guidance from God, asking him for specific direction can help us discern the right path to take.
God wants to direct us. Rather than blindly trying to make wise decisions apart from him, we can ask him to confirm our decisions through circumstances.
2. We are to trust God and do our part.
Faith requires action.
Abraham’s servant had a role to play. He was to go to the well and seek out a woman for Isaac.
Abraham realized that sitting around waiting for a bride to arrive on his doorstep for his son was not what God required of him. He took a step of faith by sending his servant to seek a wife for Isaac.
How might this apply to us?
When searching for a new job, pray and make a full-time commitment to searching for jobs.
When seeking a spouse, pray and get out of the house, socialize, and expand your social network.
If you are lonely, pray and start going places where you might make some new friends.
We can trust God. We also need to do our part.
3. Our everyday choices reveal our true character.
Rebekah had no idea that the man she was serving was looking for a woman with a servant’s heart to marry Isaac. She was simply going about her everyday business on an ordinary day.
When we are faithful in the ordinary, we can trust that God is working through our faithfulness.
We should all aim to be people of integrity, both behind closed doors and in public. As we live with high moral standards, God will reward us.
The choices we make when we think no one is watching reveal our true character.
4. God blesses generosity.
God blessed Rebekah’s generosity by leading her to a husband.
When we are faithful to God and generous to others, we will be found in favor with God and people.
God blesses this kind of faithfulness, and people reward it.
5. We should remember to thank God for answered prayers.
Abraham’s servant praised God for leading him to Rebekah and answering his prayer.
God is pleased when we recognize his hand in our lives and thank him.
Most of us are good at asking, but it’s easy to overlook God’s answers, chalking them up to coincidence and forgetting to thank him.
6. We should seek wise counsel for confirmation on important decisions.
The decision to marry is an important, life-changing decision.
Rebekah did not immediately rush off to marry Isaac. Rather, Abraham’s servant met with Rebekah’s family, and they all discussed the idea.
When Rebekah’s family was in favor of the marriage, she obeyed and went to meet Isaac.
Plans succeed with many advisors. When making important decisions, we should ask the people who know us well, wise people who can help us make wise decisions.
7. Faith requires stepping into the unknown.
Rebekah left her home and family to step into the unknown and marry a man she had never met.
She had faith that God was orchestrating the situation, and she trusted God.
At times, God calls all his children to step into the unknown and follow him by faith.
8. God is arranging circumstances we cannot see.
Rebekah’s daily trip to the well turned out to be no ordinary trip.
We never know when God will change the trajectory of our lives in a single moment. We should remember that God is always working behind the scenes in our lives. His timing is perfect, and we can trust him.
Reflections on These Lessons From Rebekah in the Bible
Rebekah’s story is a reminder that when we trust God, he rewards us. As we live generously, we are found in favor with God and man. Lastly, God is always working in our lives, even when we cannot see his hand at work.
God is always working in our lives, even when we cannot see his hand. Read here for eight powerful lessons from Rebekah in the Bible. #BibleLessons #trust #faith Share on X
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If these lessons from Rebekah in the Bible have blessed you, I invite you to explore our family devotionals below. Also, scroll to the bottom of the post for a free devotional eBook to begin growing closer to God today. You’ll find an entire library of free eBooks and devotionals.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
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Do you want to learn how to read the Old Testament and apply it to the challenges you face in your everyday life? In 30 devotions, my free devotional eBook, Timeless, will help you grow in God’s Word while applying it to your life.
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