The prayer, patience and problem for Isaac and Rebekah

Notes from Prayer meeting on Tuesday 7 August 2018

Genesis 22 verses 19 - 28

We are left with a tremendous example/illustration here.  We see Isaac and Rebekah both in prayer.  A husband and wife, a mother and a father.  We are introduced to them in their early married life and the birth of their first 2 children.

The first thing to notice is their prayer life.  Both Isaac and Rebekah prayed.  Verse 21 Isaac prayed for his wife and in verse 22 Rebekah prayed for her unborn children.  Surely there is no greater gift to give to our families that to pray for them.  We can give them many a material gift but there is no greater benefit than to pray for a loved one.  We are losing the grip of prayer today.  Jesus said "if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 18 verse 19)  What potential there is in the time of prayer.  "If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7 verse 14)    Verse 21 - for Isaac  all seemed to be lost because his wife was barren.  Abraham his father was so careful that a wife would not be chosen for Isaac from his neighbourhood.  He takes his servant and gives him a great request - to go and get a wife from Abraham`s home town in Mesopotamia.  Chapter 24 verses 3 and 4, then verse 10 we see his servant obeyed the charge from his master.  Abraham was very cautious, he knew the responsibility was on him.  The covenant promise of God was upon him.  Imagine the joy Isaac had when he first saw his new bride.  He had visions of what God had in store for him with the covenant promise on him.  Then something happened - verse 21 - the wife he was presented with was barren.  That great promise of God might not be fulfilled.  Chapter 1 verses 15, 16, 19 and 21.  The promise that was bearing on Isaac.  He finds out his wife was now barren.  Remember the message that came from Abraham to Isaac.  God gave Abraham a promise - Sarah your mother laughed - "is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18 verse 14)  No doubt as Isaac prayed for his wife who was barren he remembered there is nothing too hard for the Lord.  All will be accomplished in God`s own way and timing.  Isaac prays for his wife and child even though he was the son of that great covenant promise of God.  Isaac had to pray.  There was no time for laziness although the covenant promise lay on his shoulders.  He could have lain back and said "let God do what he will."  He had to take time to pray for the situation himself.  Maybe God has given us a promise for someone that is in our families, that God will save that person.  That doesn`t hinder us from praying for them.  God is well able to do for us what we ask.

Notice now the patience of Isaac.  We read that a son would be born.  Isaac was also given a promise about his family too.  It is good to learn to pray for the impossible just as Isaac did.  He prayed for what he thought was impossible.  Like Moses facing the Red Sea with the enemy coming behind him.  He knew God could do something.  God is still the God of miracles.  Isaac knew he was the one chosen by God to fulfil his promise through him.  There was a land to be given and a people to inherit that land.  He not only exercised faith in prayer but also in patience.  Isaac was 40 years only when he married and was 70 years old when his sons were finally born.  A time of waiting was necessary.  God`s answer is sometimes wait.  Maybe we have been praying for years but nothing has materialised.  Let`s have patience to wait on God.  Responsibility is on his shoulders.  He was the one to bring blessing to Israel.  Remember the story of the Israelites who went into the land of Canaan to spy on the people.  The message came back that the land was impossible to conquer.  Caleb stepped up and said "if the Lord is for us no-one can stop us, we can go down and take this land."  The people listened to those who did not want to go in and possess the land.  The people turned at Kadesh Barnea and remained in the wilderness for 40 years.  Caleb kept the promise in his heart and asked for the mountain to be given to him 40 years later.  He knew God would keep his promise.

The problem - verse 22.  Rebekah took the problem to the Lord, she prayed for her children before they were even born.