Rebekah: to Pray or Not to Pray

by: Verlyn Verbrugge

Rebekah was barren. So Isaac went to the Lord in prayer on behalf of his wife, and she became pregnant with twins. It was a difficult pregnancy, but God explained it: “Two nations are in your womb . . . the elder shall serve the younger” (25:23). You would think, then, that when the time came for the family blessing, Isaac and Rebekah would recall God’s prophecy before their sons were born, bring this situation to the Lord in prayer, and ask him what to do. But no! Each parent had a favorite son, and communication between the spouses had broken down.

Consequently, for Isaac, Rebekah, and their two sons, scheming and lies replaced prayer and openness. What had happened to them? What turned their beautiful romance into such an ugly marriage? The decisions in this dysfunctional family instigated a history of deceit for future generations. The stories of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph are tragic, and in each generation the results of those lies became worse.

One thing the Bible assures us of: God will hear and answer our prayers. Maybe not right away, maybe not in the way we would want. But he will bring his good and perfect will to pass in our lives through prayer. If, however, we ignore him, disregard his Word, and try to create our own answers, disaster is waiting to happen.