Isaac Can't Stop Smiling

By Mary Vee

Genesis 24:62-

Isaac stretched. "I wonder if Eliezer will come today?"

He threw the blankets on his bed and hurried outside the tent. The air smelled especially sweet.

Servants bustled about feeding the animals. Isaac laughed. He didn't know why. He didn't know what was funny. He simply felt like laughing.

He ate his breakfast. "This food tastes better than it has before. I wonder why?"

One of the workers walked past him and furrowed his brows. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course." Isaac looked toward the east. "Cast your eyes upon that magnificent sunrise. I tell you, there's something special about today. Don't know what it is, yet. But I feel it deep inside."

The worker shook his head and walked away.

Isaac gazed out at the family fields. "It'll be a great crop this year."

He walked up the hill and sat on a clump of soft grass. "If I counted the days right, according to what Father told me, Eliezer should have arrived at our family home in Mesopotamia. He probably looked around the city for the perfect girl to be my wife, met with her family then paid the dowery. If they left the next day, they should be arriving soon."

Isaac yanked a few blades of grass and shredded them into pieces. "What am I thinking? First of all, Eliezer would be cautious. He'd take his time and search carefully for the right girl to be my wife. That would take days. Then, if he found a girl, maybe her family wouldn't believe his story about Father's riches. Even if he showed proof! It will be months before he comes back. Or, maybe he won't find someone willing to come here." He threw the grass on the ground.

He stood and took a deep breath. "Then why do I feel such joy in my heart today?" He walked between rows of wheat.

A lamb bleated in the distance. "God of my father, Abraham, you have given our family many things." Isaac stood still. He listened to the gentle breeze fluttering through the wheat. "I hardly know how to thank you."

A smile popped across his face. He laughed. "Lord, I don't know why this joy keeps bursting inside me. But I thank you."

Isaac hurried to do his work. The animals went where he wanted them to go. The servants didn't fight. The sun shone all day.

Isaac sat down to eat his supper. He gazed up at the sky. "Lord, thank you for this meal. Thank you for a good day of work."

Once again, his food tasted better than it had tasted before. Isaac stroke his beard. A glimmer of sun sparkled off the wheat. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say God has something to say to me."

He left the table and walked out to the fields. "I'm here, Lord. I want to spend time with you."

Isaac listened. The wind blew as softly as a breath. Birds called out their evening songs. Isaac whispered, "Thank you, Lord for your promises given to my father. Thank you for giving us this land, our crops, and animals."

Suddenly, he saw a caravan of camels on the road walking toward his home. Isaac's heart jumped. "Could it be? No, It's not possible. Eliezer?" He squinted his eyes. "It looks like Eliezer. Eliezer?"

Isaac ran toward the caravan. "Eleizer? Is that you?"

He ran up the last hill then stopped to catch his breath.

The servant ordered the camels to stop.

A woman dismounted and waited next to the camel.

Isaac gazed at her.

Eliezer stepped forward. "Master Isaac, this is Rebekah. Her grandfather is your father's brother."

Isaac tried to keep the smile from popping on his face, but he couldn't. "Come, you must be tired from your journey. Have some food and tell me all that has happened."

Eliezer told Isaac his entire story about finding Rebekah and about her family and about the trip back home. "Master Isaac, only God could have made all these plans work as perfectly as they have."

Isaac glanced over at Rebekah and smiled. "I agree."

That night, Isaac married Rebekah. Neither one could keep away smiles or laughter. Truly God had blessed them.

God likes to bless His children. He chooses special times to give blessings, not because we earned them, but because He wants us to remember to praise Him as he deserves. Have you felt a sparkly, happy feeling inside? Who gave you that feeling? Did you find out why you felt that way? Click on the comment button and tell us. If you missed the other stories about Rebekah they are listed on the left side for you. Click on any story you'd like to read.