Redeemer Church of Oklahoma City

Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. –Genesis 24:62-67

There are no unimportant words in scripture. It means something that Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi. That’s the place, the well, where pregnant Hagar was when she was running away from the land and people of blessing (Promised Land and Abraham) to the land and people of the curse (Egypt). That’s the place God intervened and she gave up trying to save herself.

God promised her there that the child would be born, become a great nation, and she would be blessed (although she had to return to the land and people of blessing). He quenched her thirst, body and soul, there at that well: So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi. (Genesis 16:13,14)

Who knows how long Isaac had been waiting for his dad’s servant to bring him back a wife! It may have been 3 or more years. He’s in his late 30’s already too. That’s why he went to Beer-lahai-roi; he went there to call on the name of the Lord who sees his affliction. And no sooner than he gets back, he lifts up his eyes, and behold, Rebekah! The Lord was looking after him.

When we wonder if God is looking after us, especially our thirsty souls, we should remember that Christ is the well of wells, the spring of living water. He is our Beer-lahai-roi, the one by which God sees us. He is the way we see the one who looks after us. It is in him that we drink to true satisfaction, that we call on the name of the Lord, and that we receive all the blessings of God. He is the one who stops our running back to the curse and turns us around to run to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. He is the one brings us to repent of trying to save ourselves by saving us himself.

And that’s the gospel! Come hear it preached and enacted in baptism and in the supper with Jesus this Sunday.

The related hymns we’ll sing are:
The Day of Resurrection!
Baptized in Water
My Jesus, I Love Thee

Our first adult baptism of the year is this Sunday…don’t miss it!

Sunday school for children (in Genesis) and adults (in Galatians) is up and running! Coffee and other treats are served at 9:15, teaching begins at 9:30, and we break to get ready for worship at 10:15. 

Visitors are always welcome!