My dear sisters in Christ, greetings to you in the mighty name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. “Shana Tova”  to you on the auspicious day of Rosh Hashanah, the jewish new year. “Shana Tova” is the way jews greet each other on this occasion meaning : “ May you be inscribed and sealed for a prosperous year”. What a joy to be blessed ! May the living God bless your family on this day. Rosh Hashanah is followed by “Yom Kippur” , period  of repentance and introspection.  As the word of God says :  “run away from evil”. Let us also remove all things which do not please the eyes of the Lord and cleanse our heart. For it is said “ Holiness adorns Your house” (Psalm 93:5).

Women are a great blessing to their homes and to the society. The many roles that a woman dons as that of sister, spouse, mother , elder etc., are all adorned with selfless sacrifice to the family. If you are employed, then it only adds to the multi role responsibility and is not a relief. An executive in a multi national company is still  a mother at home for her children. Anyone even attempts to substitute her role, ends as a disaster for the family. But as we all know, seldom she is given the due recognition or weightage for this. Macro economists  talk about non recognition of  quantum of labour put in by the women at home ,  in the national income due to lack of appropriate accounting standards. If debated, some one may even dismiss it with a chuckle and say “ After all, she (mother) has only done her duty”…… Years roll away, and looking at the mirror one day, she will find only grey hair and wrinkles on the face, ushering the old age. Wonder where the years had gone without even spending one day in solitude for herself !

Recently I read about a woman in the Bible,  who remained faceless in the family hierarchy but was a real blessing and paved the way for the Lord’s chosen race to be established as He has wished. Rebekah is her name. We read about her in Genesis Chapter 24. This chapter of the Bible starts with Abraham becoming aged and a wise man. He wishes to find a suitable girl for his son Isaac. Even in the absence of Mosaic Covenants, he commands his servant  to look for a suitable bride  among his family far away, rather than among the Canaanites. For he knew that they are idol worshippers and will ruin the purpose for which the Lord has asked him to move away from his native place as a sojourner to the promised land.

The Lord is faithful and brought Rebekah into the family of Abraham. It is said as an introduction : “ Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin”( Genesis 24:16). Her alacrity to draw water not only for Abraham’s servant but also for the band of camels was perhaps the beginning point of her family life (imagine how much water she would have drawn for the band of camels who drink gallons of water!). Next day she marches off to an unknown land to be married off to an unknown person (Isaac) even though a close relative. But it is written that Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. She brought such a joy and comfort in Isaac’s life.  We do not know how much she suffered in silence during the time while she was barren, till the time her husband intreated with the Lord (Genesis 25:21). The Lord blessed her with twin children. But the struggle between the twins started even while they were in her womb. But she was wise enough to enquire the Lord regarding this and was advised about the dominance of the younger over the elder son. Any mother would love all her children equally and I am sure Rebekah also did. But it is written that Isaac loved Easu ( for his tasty food hunted every day ) and Rebekah her younger son Jacob (no reason given) (Genesis 25:28). Added to this she motivates and abets in the act of Jacob getting blessed from his father, acting himself as Easu. Strong words against Rebekah, but on my meditation, I appreciate that Rebekah was loyal to her God and acted truthfully. Later on we read the Lord Himself acknowledging this :

“Was not Easu Jacob’s brother ? Says the Lord. Yet Jacob, I have loved. But Easu I have hated “ (Malachi 1: 2-3)

Our Lord is a righteous Lord. We know why the Lord could not love Easu: Easu is Edom ( Genesis 36:1). Easu was casual and sold his birth right for a cup of porridge ! Easu remained a pain for the family of Isaac through his marriage and not obeying to his parents. How much trouble and hatred the edomites have shown to the Israel, is recorded well. The rivalry continued further and later on an Edomite called Herod bribed the Romans and became a King over Israelites after hundreds of years !

I am fairly convinced that Rebakh loved both her sons equally and motivated them to be  good men. However she was loyal to the Lord’s will about the establishment of the chosen race through which one day the Messiah will come. Easu created his own downfall. Rebakh justified in posterity about her righteousness in God.

Rebakah asks Jacob to go to her brother’s ( Laban ) house for a few days till Easu’s anger is  reduced. This time history reverses itself as Jacob goes into an unknown land and unknown people for decades to come ! I am sure Rebekah would have known in her heart that it may not be a few days for her son to return and probably she may not survive till his return back home. How much pain it would have caused for the mother ?

As we read through the chapters, Isaac was blessed as his father. His father gave all his possessions to Isaac. Isaac himself  was blessed  and was a blessing to wherever he went. Even Kings were jealous of his wealth and were afraid of his anointing. Rebekah accompanied as the faithful wife wherever the family migrated.

Now read this story once again and compare it with happenings in your own life. For want of space and time, I have omitted many things that are mentioned in the Bible. Do you feel Rebekah was blessed or not ? Did she live a happy and contended life with her husband and family or not  ? Did she or not live a fruitful life for building God’s Kingdom ? What would the mirror image would have said to her if she also chose to look at a mirror in her old age ? ( We don’t know whether they had  a mirror those days ! A look down at a water body would have helped !).

I remember a touching moment in the biography of Dr Ida Scudder. She looks at her face in the mirror one day, when she arranges for wedding for her maid, only to see a wrinkled face and grey her. She just smiles it off ! But we have today the Christian Medical College and Hospital where daily outpatient numbers  crosses 15,000 and it supports network of  mission hospitals in India and abroad and a pioneer in medical advancements.

My dear sisters, to be joyful in the Lord is to live for Him. When you are doing your work diligently in office;  when you are faithful to your husband and children and do your daily chores ;  when you are reading the word of God and do intercessory prayers as would be required; when you are being compassionate to your neighbor and the poor, you are living a joyful, worthy and fruitful life. For God. And the Lord will bless you abundantly.  

Prayer : Dear Lord Jesus,

We thank you for your blessings and grace for us to lead a fruitful and joyful life in You. Please bless us as You have blessed Rebekah.

We ask this in Jesus name

Amen.

God's Love Missions Family