Slideshow image

Today's Readings from the Revised Common Lectionary:
• Genesis 24:1–9
• Psalm 116:1–2, 12–19
• Acts 7:35–43

(For more on the daily cycles, you can follow the PC(USA) Daily Devotion resources).

Artwork for Today
Abraham's Servant Meeteth with Rebecca

Reflection
Have you ever mapped out a plan for someone you love, only to realize you cannot control the final outcome?

In my 'seculay job,' I work in residential care case management, so much of my week is spent trying to script a secure future for vulnerable kids. I gather with caseworkers, therapists, and probation officers, among others. I write out the Individualized Service Plans (ISPs) and carefully construct the safety plans.

Or...maybe you're a parent, perhaps battling through unexpected setbacks, a housing crisis, or the exhausting financial stress of making ends meet, striving desperately to create a safe landing spot for your child. We put all the logistics in place, dotting the is and crossing the ts, but eventually we face a difficult reality: we cannot force the future to unfold exactly as we mapped it. At some point, we have to let go.

In today’s reading from Genesis 24, Abraham is nearing the end of his life. The promises God made to him have begun to materialize, but the future of his family line now rests on finding a suitable wife for Isaac. Abraham can't make the journey himself. Instead, he calls his oldest and most trusted servant, gives him strict instructions, and sends him into the unknown.

The servant is understandably nervous. "Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me," he asks. What if the plan fails? What if the pieces don't come together?

Abraham's response is a profound statement of faith: "The Lord, the God of heaven... will send his angel before you." He doesn’t guarantee the servant an easy road. He doesn’t say there won’t be hiccups or moments of agonizing doubt. He simply trusts that the God who brought him this far will continue to pave the way.

We all have moments where we are forced to release the reins. We drop a child off at their new school. We send an adolescent back into a fractured world with nothing but a safety plan and a prayer. We mail off that IRS payment plan and hope the budget balances. We do the best legwork we can with the tools we have, but ultimately, we have to trust the journey to God.

If you are waiting for a plan to come together today, if you have done all you can do and find yourself anxious about the outcome, take a breath. You don't have to carry the weight of the future all by yourself. The God of heaven goes before you, and God's grace is already waiting there.