If you keep your eyes open to the edge of wooded areas in the northeast United States, you may see a fawn or two without its mother. Recently, I saw a mother deer walking with her twins. I watched her nuzzle each one of them and saw them lie down in the grass immediately. My research indicates that the mother will gently touch her babies with her nose, pressing down toward the ground. They instinctively know they are to stay low and wait while she goes to forage. Their spots and lack of scent help them stay safe from predators. The mother will return to her fawns a couple of times during the day to nurse them or if she hears them bleating. Even animals are told to wait for their own benefit.
 
In hindsight, as I remember several times when I have had to wait for the Lord's perfect timing to see something happen, I realize that He has His reasons for the waiting. Scripture is full of examples of people of faith who have had to wait. Abraham, the Father of Faith, waited until he was one hundred years old for his son Isaac to be born. He learned the lesson of faith over sight by looking at the stars and relying on God's word. Hannah desperately wanted a son. She learned to pour out her pain on the Lord and trust Him in the delay. Year after year she prayed and then made a vow to dedicate her son to the Lord's work after his birth. It appears that the timing of Samuel's birth occurred just at the right time when God was looking for a new priest at the Temple.
 
David, son of Jesse, was anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king of Israel but waited for fifteen years until he was crowned King of Judah. Seven and one-half years later he was able to reign over all the tribes of Israel. By reading the story of David's life we can see that God had much to teach him before he would be ready to take the reigns as king. He must have learned that God does not deliver on His promises instantly. As he waited David learned to depend on the Lord, a practice he would need when he finally became king.
 
One of the Hebrew words for wait in the Bible is "quvah" (kaw-vah). It is defined as an active waiting that means one waits with hope or entwines oneself together with the Lord. This is what is used in Isaiah 40:31. Different translations of the verse use different English words. The New King James says, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." The New International Version says, "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint."
 
The imagery for this word "quvah" is the twisting or binding of strands together to make a strong rope. It is an action word and implies that the intertwining represents trust. God loves this! He uses our waiting to draw us closer to Himself. This begs a question: What is our posture toward God as we wait? Knowing that the Lord has a perfect time for our desires to manifest, we should be encouraged that He will reward us for the waiting. This is what is says in Psalm 37:34. "Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land..." (NKJ) All of us have territory we desire to take. We should intertwine ourselves more tightly to our God, so we become even more like Him. 

​We can find a discourse on faith in Romans 4. The author is reminding us that "Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness." (Verse 9) We are told that the promise Abraham believed in is for everyone. "The promise comes by faith, so that it may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is father of us all. As it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations.' He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not." (Verse 16, 17 - NIV) The NKJV says, "Calls those things which do not exist as though they did."
 
The key to Abraham's faith came as he gave God glory. Romans 4:19-21 in The Passion Translation explains it well: "In spite of being nearly one hundred years old when the promise of having a son was made, his faith was so strong that it could not be undermined by the fact that he and Sarah were incapable of conceiving a child. He never stopped believing God's promise, for he was made strong in his faith to father a child. And because he was mighty in faith and convinced that God had all the power needed to fulfill His promises, Abraham glorified God!" When we take action in the same way that Abrham did God will reward us." "And this declaration was not just spoken of Abraham, but also over us. For when we believe and embrace the one who brought our Lord Jesus back to life, perfect righteousness will be credited to our account as well." (Romans 4:23, 24 - TPT)
 
Romans 5:1 goes on to tell us that because of our faith in Jesus His righteousness is transferred to us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 confirms this by saying, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (NKJ) We must conclude that faith is an action word. The Hebrew word for faith is "emunah" (em-oo-new) which means to act with firmness according to the will of God. “So, then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
 
Real faith defies all contradictions in circumstances and stands on God's promises. It places God's promises before facts, because facts can change but "God is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) The prophet Habakkuk realized the importance of faith. He is the one who wrote, "The just shall live by his faith."  (Habakkuk 2:4 - NKJ) This was declared after he asked the Lord several questions: "...Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?" (Habakkuk 1:3) "Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” (Habakkuk 1:13) He learned that a day of calamity would come to his people. Yet he made a declaration in faith: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Habakkuk 3:17, 18)
 
How many of us are waiting for the manifestation of a promise that God gave us? I imagine that this applies to us all. Here is our mandate: Stand on your promises and glorify God in the waiting. Share your faith and remember that righteousness will be credited to our accounts.

​Thursday morning, we were awakened to the sound of electric hedge trimmers buzzing below our second-story condo. We had noticed the "landscaping" crew working in our community and took note of their improper pruning habits. Every shrub in our area was cut into the shape of a ball, rectangle, or some sort of parallelogram. Flowers buds for next year or ripening stalks of berries for fall beauty were removed. Last year we planted a graceful Nandina that we did not want to fall prey to the undiscerning patterns of those who were cutting the bushes. My husband ran down the stairs and stood guard over our Nandina bush until the crew finished working in our area.
 
As a landscaper, I have great appreciation for the unique way that God designed every tree, bush, and flower. When designing a landscape, it is proper to use different plants with varying growth patterns to enhance the beauty of the places where they are planted. While contemplating all of this, God reminded me how He uniquely formed each of us. Isaiah 64:8 explains how God formed us individually and designed us for our own good and His glory. "Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay; You are the potter; we are all the work of your hands."
 
God's plans and purposes for us are always being challenged by the world and the demonic realm. These entities want to shape us into their own image. Romans 12:2 speaks to this: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will." In the first six verses of Jeremiah 18, God gives us a picture of how He may rework the clay to shape it in the perfect way. He sent the prophet Jeremiah to the potter's house for a picture of His work. "...And I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so, the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as it seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 'Can I not do with you, Israel, as the potter does?' declares the Lord. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.’” (Verses 3-6) The potter started over again because the clay was not cooperating with him. We, like the clay, need to be moldable and cooperative with God's transformative work in our lives.
 
Jesus is our perfect example of one being yielded to the hands of Father God. He "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross." (Philippians 2:7, 8 - NKJ) Father God engages in every intimate detail of the shaping of our character and destiny. We must submit to His will and trust that the design of our Sovereign God is for our good and His glory. Remember this: "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with every-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

​As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation, I cannot think of a better Scripture to embrace than Psalm 33:12. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance." (NKJV) Our nation has been blessed by God. This is so because our Founding Fathers honored and sought God. If we want that blessing to continue, we will need to welcome His presence.
 
May I suggest that the freedoms we enjoy are God-given but do not come without expectations. In fact, the story of the Israelites and their freedom from Egypt became an inspiration for our Founding Fathers. We can find the Ten Commandments, Scripture quotes, and artwork depicting Biblical scenes in our United States Capitol, the Supreme Court, federal buildings, and in many of our State Capitols. Our United States Constitution was modeled after Old Testament concepts of covenant with an agreement between the people and our government.
 
The Bible was the most important book in the founding of our nation and was used as a textbook in schools from elementary to college level. I ran across an interesting story about a Bible shortage in America during the War for Independence. A committee from the Continental Congress saw that the "Bible is so universal and its importance so great” that they recommended that the Committee of Commerce import 20,000 Bibles. The order was given on September 11, 1777. The Bibles were delivered to America with most of them coming from Holland and Scotland.
 
The citizens of the United States have a similar mandate to the Israelites who were set free to be a nation that shared the love of God with the world. The formation of our nation is rooted in Christianity. We share a moral framework and cultural inheritance with the Jewish people. Our founders, George Washington and John Adams, understood that a free government requires a morally and religiously guided populace. The Declaration of Independence draws on Biblical principles of justice and human worth, and the United States Constitution was modeled on Old Testament concepts of covenant.
 
I must express my concern for the road on which our nation is traveling. Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, authored an article on June 20 entitled "If we Forget our Story, we Lose our Identity.” Our nation is rooted in Christianity, and the Bible is the foundational document of America. Tony writes, “As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity not merely to commemorate our history but to recover it.”
 
Benjamin Franklin made a statement that should make all of us stop and think about our heritage: "I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without His aid?" I think not. It is time for us to acknowledge our God-given heritage and to return to our Christian roots. The anti-Christian and anti-American sentiment that is rising in our nation will destroy it. Only God can restore us and set us back onto the right track. We must cry out to the Lord for national repentance and revival. 2 Chronicles 7:14 should be our mandate. "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Amen!

The Church may not realize this, but the fourth month on the Hebrew calendar, called Tammuz, is one of spiritual warfare where we must defend our souls. The enemy of our souls looks for weak spots or places where we or our ancestors compromised and attempts to take advantage of us. At sunset on June 15, we entered the month of Tammuz. Let us look back in history to see what was happening in Tammuz a few months after the Israelites came out of Egypt. After a long trek from Egypt to Mount Sinai, Moses ascended the mountain to meet with God. Exodus 32 tells the story: "Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, 'Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And Aaron said to them, 'Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me...' And he received the gold from their hand and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!' So, when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it..." (Exodus 32:1-5 - NKJV)
 
The building of the golden calf stemmed from a grievance rooted in the hearts of God's people. The bottom line is they did not trust Him although He demonstrated His faithfulness multiple times throughout their journey from Egypt to Mount Sinai. Here is the reason why God told the Israelites, many times, "Remember." Exodus 13:3 is an example. "Then Moses said to the people, 'Remember this day on which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, because the Lord brought you out from there by strength of hand.'" (ESV) Had the Israelites remembered the way they came out of Egypt, they may have rethought their sin of building the golden calf. Exodus 12:36 tells us that the Israelites "plundered the Egyptians." They simply asked for their gold and received it without a fight.
 
Here is the lesson from this story that we need to take to heart: When God gives us plunder as we are coming out of our own Egypt, we must not use it to make an idol for a lower form of worship. We were all made with a need to worship. God's desire is for us to worship Him alone because this fosters greater intimacy with Him. When we use the gifts He gives us to make idols for worship, He is greatly grieved. Tammuz is the month for heightened alertness. We cannot allow the enemy to entice us to take our eyes off the Lord and His promises. We must be patient and never settle for inferior forms of worship. When we build idols, they bring curses and desolation upon us and cause God's manifest presence to leave.
 
This call to "remember" is not only important for us as individuals, but also for our churches and our nation. We cannot forget the battles we fought, the blessings we have received, and the prophetic words spoken over us. We need to remember the snare of the golden calf so that we do not use the plunder God gave us to build an inferior idol to worship. God is faithful and will bring His promises to life at the perfect time and in the perfect way.
 
A segment of our society would like to erase the past so that they can alter the future. If we rewrite the past, we can rewrite the future. If the foundations of God are removed, then we can build on new and ungodly foundations. We cannot allow this to happen! We must "fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2) Our worship of the One True God will demonstrate our faithfulness to Him and our remembrance of His faithfulness to us. Let's make this month one of radical worship to Adonai, The Lord Our God! 

​While I was a student in the horticulture department at Temple University, I learned so much that pointed directly to God. One of my greatest joys was collecting gardening books and looking at their beautiful plant pictures. The diversity of every form of plant is amazing. A practical little book that I purchased was called Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening by Louise Riotte. The book gives the reader recommendations for companion planting or planting certain vegetables or flowers near one another. For example, Carrots are good companion plants for leeks because the carrot fly that attacks carrots does not like the smell of leeks so stays away from their location. The other benefit is that the onion fly and leek moth are repelled by the smell of carrots so there is a natural protection of the leek. The book recommends that a gardener plant radishes around cucumbers and squash because they repel the cucumber beetle. Companion planting is helpful for organic gardeners who do not want to use chemicals on their plants.
 
A reason to plant tomatoes with carrots is because they have different root systems. Tomatoes grow above the ground while carrots are root plants. As I read about planting corn with pumpkins, I had to laugh. Pumpkin leaves are very sticky and repel racoons from coming to eat the corn. Why? Racoons do not like the stickery vines on their paws. Companion planting gives the gardener beneficial results. Plants, when placed properly, can actually help each other grow, which results in healthier and more productive gardens. The main message of this book is that plants grow to their fullest potential when surrounded by positive companions.

When we turn our attention to the Bible, we can see that God frequently uses gardening stories and plant analogies to demonstrate how Christians should grow and produce fruit. May I suggest that our workplaces, churches, and families are like gardens that can help us to grow in productive ways? All of us have God-given gifts within that are meant to help others grow into their unique potential to reflect the Lord. God ordained that we live with others and complement one another.

We are strategically placed in our friendships, marriages, workplaces, and churches to encourage and help others to produce fruit for the Kingdom of God. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica: "Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing...Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else." (1 Thessalonians 5:11-15)

Romans 14: 19 in The Passion Translation exhorts us to "make it your top priority to live a life of peace with harmony in your relationships, eagerly seeking to strengthen and encourage one another." We are meant to be a blessing to others. As we help them to grow and become more Christlike, they will do the same for us.

​The beginning of creation demonstrates the power of God's Word. "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light." (Genesis 1:3) All of creation is an example of how God spoke the word and the earth came into existence. God assures us in the much-quoted verse of Isaiah 55:11 that His word that goes out from His mouth will not return empty but will accomplish what He desires. God has a purpose for every verse in the Bible, and when it is read aloud, there is power in it. That is one of the reasons I am so encouraged by what happened at our nation’s Capital this past week.
 
As part of the celebration of America's 250th birthday, an organization called "Christians Engaged" arranged for nearly five hundred leaders from our country to read the entire Bible aloud from Genesis to Revelation. The initiative is called "America Reads the Bible." It began on April 19 and ran through April 25 with citizens reading Scripture from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D. C. One of the event highlights occurred when our President, Donald Trump, read from 2 Chronicles 7:11-22 via video from the Oval Office.
 
In commemoration of this historic event the President sent out a message on April 17. Here is some of what he said: "...In every generation, through every trial and triumph, God's Word has guided our people and our country to incredible new heights...Today, during our 250th year of American independence, The America Reads the Bible initiative invites all citizens to once again acknowledge our Nation's extraordinary Biblical foundations and give thanks for countless ways in which God has been the sacred source of our unity and national strength. This one-week event, during which leaders in faith, government, business, and entertainment will read every verse and chapter of the Bible, will inspire countless citizens to rediscover the Biblical truths that animated our Republic for two and a half centuries and pray that the Bible will continue to guide us—as individuals, as a people, as a nation—for the next 250 years and beyond...Together we will honor Holy Scripture, renew our faith, usher in a historic resurgence of religion on American shores, and rededicate the United States as One Nation under God.”
 
It is reported that the inspiration for this seven-day reading of the Bible came from the book of Nehemiah where Ezra was instructed to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses a few days after the walls of Jerusalem were complete. "So, on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men and women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law." (Nehemiah 8:2 & 3)
 
Let us remember what is says in Romans 10:17—that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Statistics from the American Bible Society tell us that forty-two percent of Americans have never opened a Bible and that even professing Christians are increasingly Biblically illiterate. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, wants to see Americans "rediscover the ancient paths" because "Those who know their history understand that the Bible played a fundamental role in the founding of this nation...We need to return to that understanding of the role that Scripture plays in guiding and directing us individually, but also collectively as a nation."
 
Think about the impact the reading of the Bible could have on our nation as the power of God's Word went forth! Perhaps there will be conviction of sin, a spirit of repentance, joy in the Lord, and/or revival. As the sound of truth permeated our nation, let us pray in agreement with the Lord that it will accomplish what He desires. Rest assured that this was both a historic and holy moment in our nation.

​There is a picture of an open Torah scroll making rounds on social media that should make us pause and think about God. As demonstrated by this picture, He speaks to us in a multitude of ways that will direct our attention toward Him. At the beginning of Israel's "Operation Lion's Roar" a missile came into Beit Shemesh, in Israel, and killed nine people and injured many more. These people were sheltering in the basement of the town's synagogue. Those who helped clear through the rubble found an open Torah scroll with a shard of metal from the missile that was stuck at the reading for the week.
 
The Parasha (Torah portion) to be read for that week is called "Zachor," which means remember. This Scripture commands us to remember the attack that Amalek made on the Israelites after they left Egypt. It would have been read on the Sabbath before Purim and comes from Deuteronomy 25:17-19. "Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!" With the placement of the missile fragment directly beneath this Scripture, God was speaking to His people.
 
The missile fragment seemed to be reminding the Jewish people, as they prepared to celebrate Purim, how connected the past is to the present and future. How is this so? Along with the weekly Torah portion, there is also a selected reading from the "Prophets" to be recited in the synagogues. This is called "the Haftarah." It is meant to relate to the Torah portion. The haftarah that connects to Deuteronomy 25:17-19 comes from 1 Samuel 15:2-34. It is the story of King Saul's battle against Amalek and his failure to destroy King Agag as instructed by God. Because Saul spared the life of Agag, years down the road Haman arose and continued the battle against the Jews during the reign of Queen Esther. Haman was a direct descendant of King Agag. (Esther 3:1) However, God always gives us an opportunity to redeem our situations. Just as Haman was a direct descendant of Agag, Mordecai, Queen Esther's guardian, was from Saul's tribe, Benjamin. Therefore, Saul's descendants had the opportunity to accomplish what he failed to do.
 
This uncanny position of the shrapnel from an Iranian missile under the "Parashat Zachor" highlights the importance of doing what God instructs: "Remember," and "Do not forget!" Isn't it interesting that the missile that struck the Torah scroll came all the way from Iran whose name was Persia where the story of Purim took place about 2,500 years ago? God uses every means at His disposal to speak to us and guide us in all truth. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Every year Jewish synagogues read through the first five books of the Bible or Torah, written by Moses. There are fifty-four sections to the weekly Torah portions. These portions or sections are called Parashat. Each Parashat is named after a significant word at the beginning of the section to be read. Last week's portion is named Mishpatim for laws, judgments, or ordinances. This eighteenth Parashat covers Exodus 21:1 through Exodus 24:18. It contains a detailed system of rules for the people that include the civil code, social justice commands, ways for ethical living, and ways to apply the Divine law to everyday life.
 
In Parashat Mishpatim we see that one of the ways that God determines faithfulness to His covenant is how we treat one another, even enemies. Moses wrote how justice should be lived out in daily life. We have in this portion of Scripture an invitation to live in ways that reflect His justice and compassion. God wants us to remember that even our enemies are made in His image. In God's Kingdom, justice, and mercy work together.
 
God brings us into situations where we get to quietly attest to our faithfulness to His commands. One such situation is written about in Exodus 23:4 and 5. "If you come across your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there. Be sure you help him with it." We reflect the Lord to our neighbors, strangers, and adversaries by how we treat them." 
 
God leads us on the path of humility in our day-to-day experiences. There is a Hebrew word used only ten times in the Scriptures. That word, zud, means to boil up, seethe, or arrogance. When we allow arrogance to bubble up it leads us to behave in a way that does not honor God. We read that Nehemiah led the Israelites in confession of their sins. He reminded them of this: "But they, our forefathers, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and did not obey Your commands. They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles You performed among them..." (Nehemiah 9:16 and 17) He commands us to even protect the property of those who oppose us. Humility helps us cool down the arrogance of wanting to do things our way so that it does not bubble up and explode in anger.
 
Our behavior is shaped in the heart and manifests through physical action. We must ask ourselves, "What is brewing in my heart, and does it reflect the One True God that I worship?" We must follow the instruction given in Colossians 3:5. "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature..." Considering this week's instruction in Parashat Mishpatim, let us make David's prayer in Psalm 19:14 our own. "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer."

​The Church is defined as the Bride of Christ and Christ as our Bridegroom. Our time on earth is meant as a time of preparation so that we can present our lives to the Bridegroom as pure and spotless just as our spirits are now. The season of preparation can be difficult because it involves sacrifice and discipline. God's people, whose stories are told in the Bible, had to spend time in the wilderness. This is the place where we learn to focus on the Bridegroom. That means we must be willing to leave familiar places to follow the Holy Spirit into the wilderness.
 
One of the women in the Bible who exemplifies this bride is Rebekah. Before we meet her in the Bible, we read the story of Abraham and how he was preparing for his death. His servant, Eliezer (meaning "God is my help"), was directed to travel to Abraham's homeland to find a wife for his son, Isaac. The woman he would bring back had to be willing to follow him. In other words, she had to follow him into the wilderness. In this story, Eliezer represents the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is looking for a pure, virgin bride who is not enticed by the gods of this world.
 
Before meeting Rebekah, Eliezer had a talk with God and asked Him to bring him a woman who had a servant's heart, came from a godly family, and would be willing to leave her family to follow him. This expectation for Isaac's wife sounds like what Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 10:37-39. "Anyone who loves his father and mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
 
Eliezer was able to see Rebekah's servant heart when he met her at the well. Not only did she give him a drink, but she also offered to water his camels. Imagine how long it took her to draw water for ten thirsty camels! Next, her brother Laban came to the well and invited Eliezer to bring his camels to their home. As food was being prepared and set before him, Eliezer insisted on telling Rebekah's family the reason for his journey. They agreed that she should go back to Abraham's son. Rebekah sealed the deal when she agreed to go and said, "I will go." (Genesis 24:58)
 
Rebekah was sent off with a family blessing. "Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies." (Genesis 24:60) This would not be an easy journey for Rebekah. I read that she would have had to travel about 600 miles on a camel. She left her place of comfort to be tested in the hot, dry desert. During the journey, Eliezer, her Holy Spirit, helped to prepare her for her commitment to Isaac, her bridegroom. Once Rebekah made her commitment to Isaac, she would have another wilderness to traverse—the wilderness of barrenness. Isaac was sixty years old before she gave birth to twins. It was Rebekah's faith that sustained her until the promise of her family blessing was realized.
 
All of us must go through wilderness seasons in our lives. God will use these seasons to develop our character and to teach us how to overcome the giants that war against our souls. It is vital that we keep our eyes on the Lord and remember the promises that He has given to us. He has planned every portion of our wilderness journey, knows what we are experiencing, and what we need to move through it. The Lord will teach us how to pursue His heart and follow Him no matter what the cost. There is an end to every wilderness, and God wants us to exit it leaning on Him, our Beloved, not leaning on our own understanding. (Song of Solomon 8:5)