In preparation for a family trip to the Holy Land in
January, we have been using Family Home Evening time to learn about the people
and places of the Bible. We will not get through it all in time for the trip,
but any effort will be helpful. (I’m still listening and studying a General
Conference talk each week on my own – but we’ve shifted focus for FHE for this
trip.)
Last week we learned about Abraham and Sarah, so tonight
we’ll cover their son Isaac and the distant relative he married, Rebekah. We’d used the
lds.org Scripture Stories videos to talk about Abraham and Sarah’s life last
week so I started my prep there but was disappointed. There’s no scripture
story in the reader about Rebekah at the well! I love this story!!!
Eliezer's prayerful desire to find a Holy Woman for his master Abraham’s son is answered.
Rebekah's example of going beyond expected hospitality is inspiring. (Did I blog about our ward's recent Young Women in Excellence evening about the Holy Woman challenge? Probably not, it's lost in the shuffle of my new calling and having family visiting for Thanksgiving. Anyhow, it was an AWESOME evening of testimony from these young women who took the challenge!)
The story of Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Esua’s youth, marriage and birth right disputes in a 25 minute Biblical synopsis with good
images to help narrate. It is pretty darn great compared to my reading of the account in Genesis 24+.
Primary 6 Manual: Old Testament – Isaac and Rebekah
"Purpose: To teach the children that the same eternal blessings promised
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob can be theirs if they make and honor temple
marriage covenants."
I see the scriptures as records of men and women who sought
God and God shared his Plan of Happiness with them. God has preserved these
records to bless countless generations with a knowledge of how we can seek and
know Him, our loving Heavenly Father. It is very instructive that the Bible
account shares how these men and women dealt with each other, their extended
families and tribes, and with the idolatrous local populations while trying to
live in remembrance of their God and duties to Him.
There are faith promoting stories and difficult events in
each of their lives. I appreciate seeing how they navigated their time on earth.
God worked with them with such love, despite their failings. For heaven’s sake,
Isaac lied to the Canaanite king that Rebekah was his sister and gave her to be
one of the king’s wives because he feared for their lives! That’s complicated!
But the way this was resolved is so beautiful! The Canaanite king could have
dealt justly and cruelly with them for their deception but did the most
magnanimous thing one could do. Through Isaac and Rebekah, we learn of their
struggle with infertility, the blessing of God’s messengers visiting them,
their miraculous conception of twins, Rebekah’s difficult pregnancy and giving birth
to Esau and Jacob. And that’s nothing compared to the trials of raising twin
boys who couldn’t be more different from one another and each parent favoring a different child!
The gospel of Jesus Christ was transmitted to the next
generation through Jacob who sought to make and keep covenants with God. Esau
did not as we understand in this account because he sough wives of the local populations, not from those who sought to make covenants with God. How were their lives different?
"Shall I falter or shall I finish?" (Job) and "I will not fail thee nor forsake thee!" (Joshua 1:5) shared by President Monson
And Elder Uchdorf - "Come, Join with us! Our daily walk with Jesus Christ leads to peace and purpose . . . joy and eternal salvation."
As I sat in Sacrament Meeting yesterday, I felt prompted to
ask Morgan and then Easton why we were here to take the sacrament. Why is it important? We’re here to remember our covenants with God and/or to prepare to
make them. We’re covenanting to remember
our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ and try to be like him as we go through
our new week. We will make mistakes each week, but this is our chance to reflect on last week, be repentant, and covenant with God to try again. I love taking the sacrament for these reasons. I need it in my
life each week and hope my family learns to desire it too.
My life has been blessed by making and keeping covenants of baptism, the endowment, and temple marriage. These covenants remind me to strive to become a better me. They help spare me from being mired in harmful distractions and appetites. I appreciate feeling empowered to direct my life for good. I love knowing that my God is invested in me and is helping me as I seek Him. When Ryan and I have had our struggles, I have leaned on our temple marriage covenant to realign myself. When I can't resolve something with Ryan, I find such strength in knowing we aren't alone in this marriage. We made that covenant with God in His holy house. He is invested in our marriage succeeding and will mediate our difficulties if I turn to Him. I can't change Ryan or my children, I can only work on myself and God will guide me. These have been powerful guiding thoughts for me over the years. I am a covenant making and keeping woman.
