Misplaced Loyalty

Biblical Scholar Alert- Last week we met Sarah and focused on her sense of humor.  This is sense of humor is best displayed in the name chosen for her only son, Isaac, meaning “God has given me cause to laugh.”

Also take a few minutes to focus on Genesis 22, The Testing of Abraham.  This is an essential part of our story and shouldn’t be missed.

As I said before, we have a lot of biblical ground to cover in just a few weeks so we will skip ahead to when Isaac is grown and meets his wife, Rebekah.

Focus on Genesis 24.  Isaac can be seen almost as a supporting actor in the story of the patriarchs.  But he is nonetheless important.  The story of Isaac and Rebekah is a love story plain and simple.

We are introduced to Rebekah at a well.  A Jewish reader would immediately think marriage based on this location.  It is important to understand this as we go forward because many important encounters happen at wells.

A beautiful story unfolds.  Focus on verse 67.  This is all that is said about Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage.  But we need to look at what isn’t said.  Isaac only had one wife throughout his life, Rebekah.  Because of his fidelity to her, he is the only patriarch that never leaves the Promised Land.  Think back to the covenant God made with His people.  When Israel was obedient, they were blessed with staying in the Promised Land, or within God’s covenant family.  The people we will meet later in the story are often led out of the Promised Land by their many wives.

Isaac was loyal.  That was his issue.

What is loyalty?  If you are loyal, you are constant, dedicated, devoted and unwavering.  Isaac remained faithful to Rebekah and to his covenant with God.

You can be loyal to many things and people.  Some examples include: the government, a cause, an idea, an institution or a product.

Unfortunately, we have people who are more loyal to the Apple brand than to their church.  Our loyalties are confused.  Isaac and Rebekah’s weren’t.  We can learn from them.  Loyalty leads to the Land of Promise.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Who/What am I loyal to?  Have they earned it?  Do they return it to me?

In what areas of my life am I not being loyal?

Am I loyal to God?  My Church?  My country?  My family?  My friends?

What products am I loyal to?  Why?

Do I value things more than people?