Rebekah’s Journey to Gentleness: Friday of Preparation Post

Rebekah’s symbolic Journey to Fruit of the Spirit continues…
Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, which is Patience,
and now, Gentleness.

2000 Years Ago: Rebekah’s Journey to Gentleness

Rebekah’s eyes remained on her husband’s face as he spoke.

The stories he was telling her about his life were absolutely fascinating.

Abraham’s servant had told her many things about Isaac on the long camel journey, and they were things that any girl would admire in a man.

But nothing affected her as hearing the stories from the man himself.

Isaac continued.  “…and then a Voice spoke right out of the air and said to my father, “Stop!  Do not harm your son!”  My father’s hand, holding the knife, stopped, just inches from my heart!  Father shut his eyes, just standing like that for a long time, head tilted as if he was listening to something I couldn’t hear.  Then he sank to the ground and raised his hands above his head.  Tears flowed from his eyes and his lips moved in a silent “Thank-you!  Thank-you, Lord!”  I don’t know exactly what happened, but one minute I was going to be sacrificed, and the next, I realized I’d been spared.  So I know that God has something important planned for my life.  I wouldn’t be alive today if He didn’t.”

Isaac grew silent, a far away look in his eyes.  Rebekah watched him, trying to read his beloved face, ready to listen again when he was ready to go on.

After a while he spoke, his voice soft and full of respect.  As she listened, Rebekah became aware that this man she had journeyed so far to wed had a special destiny.  God had chosen her husband’s people as part of a Special Plan.  Isaac followed a planned path she had never heard about before.

This was truly an awesome life she had come into.  She could be part of this man’s God journey, now!  She would serve the God her husband served, belong to this Chosen People!

Isaac continued speaking.

He told her how much he had missed his mother after she died.  The only child of an older mother meant he had been the center of her life.  He had missed the gentleness and caring a woman brought into the rough and tumble of a man’s world.

Then he reached up and touched Rebekah’s face, “But now I have you.”

And then he didn’t speak; he just held her for a long time, his thoughts deep and solemn.

And Rebekah thought about marriage and vows and how to be a wife and living in the ways Father God had planned for His People.

And her thoughts were deep and solemn and full of gentle determination.

Today: Finding Rebekah-Gentleness

What does Fruit of the Spirit gentleness mean to you?

When Jen Harrison studied the Fruit of the Spirit for a Bible Study, she said, “When I got to gentleness, the only images that came to mind were cheesy Amish romance novels involving a young woman in a bonnet kneeling in a sunny field with the wind gently blowing.” She says she learned that Spirit fruit does not necessarily produce the ability to look awesome in bonnets.

Strong’s Greek Concordance says the word gentleness “refers to exercising God’s strength under His control . . . demonstrating power without undue harshness. . . . The English term ‘meek’ often lacks this blend . . . of gentleness (reserve) and strength.”

And reading Rebekah’s life story brings all these words to mind.

I’m sure she looked beautiful in her veil, certainly in Isaac’s eyes.  The veil (like the Amish bonnet) was a symbol of meekness and gentleness; submitted to her God.

The symbol isn’t enough, though, is it?

Isaac couldn’t have loved her so deeply and declared what a comfort she was to him if her Spirit fruit hadn’t gone beyond her veil to the heart inside.

So what does gentleness look like today?

Gentleness is a strong hand with a soft touch. It is a tender, compassionate approach toward others’ weaknesses and limitations. A gentle person still speaks truth, sometimes even painful truth, but in doing so guards his tone so the truth can be well received.

Focus on the Family

Twenty years ago:

I stand, hands on hips, gazing at my husband in disgust.

Would he really do this to me?  Tell me that we can’t go to my niece’s wedding?

Don’t I get any say in this?

I just assumed we would do what I wanted: when a close family member has a special occasion, we go.  Right?

Well, no.  That is not how he looked at it.  He saw more on the table than that one event.  I had a family tree full of nieces and nephews with weddings coming up someday.  He saw our bank balance, or lack of.  He saw my lack of regard for his wishes and needs.  His schedule book sat on his desk, full past the date of this wedding.  Our aging car and the hours of driving would create wear and tear we couldn’t afford.

So, in bitter-tear-strained voice, I accused him.  “You never think my wishes are worth a thing!”

And turned my back on the hurt in those blue eyes.  Because, deep down, I knew his whole life was lived thinking about my wishes.  It was almost more than he could do to say no to me.

Fast forward to present day:

We talk about going to see our son and his family before winter sets into their northern state.  “Did you buy tickets yet?” he asks.

“No, I didn’t.  Did you tell me which days will work for you?”

So I have my phone poised at the point of pressing “submit payment” but just in case, I call him one more time to be sure.  And he doesn’t answer.  That booking goes into overtime and is gone.

Two days later we get to the same convo again, and decide we’re now ready to commit.

No anger or judgment.  No “get your schedule right now and check when it will work.”

The years of seeking Spirit Fruit, and God’s grace, brought enough wisdom to know that gentleness could produce what force could not.

Let’s pray for each other on the Journey to the Strength of Gentleness.

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The Fruit of the Spirit

Ten “Friday of Preparation” studies align the story of Rebekah in the Bible
with a Fruit of the Spirit, then concluding with the “Legacy” post.
The series begins with “Love.”

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