Chayei Sarah: How do we know the will of God?

In our daily lives, we’re required to make many decisions. For many of us (myself included), decision-making is difficult. Why is it so hard to decide? Sometimes the difference between two decisions is so small, that we get stuck, because we don't see a ‘clear advantage’. At other times, we might experience a ‘decision overload’; then, even when it involves small, simple options, the continuous flow of decisions creates some sort of mental fatigue named ‘decision fatigue’. Then there are moments where we encounter really big decisions that can make it hard to choose one option and let go of the other.

Many of us, especially in the Messianic movement in Israel, have had to make a very significant decision, by leaving our homeland – some by themselves and others with their families - and immigrate to another country, Israel. This is a very difficult decision. Yes, Israel is special, exciting and eye-opening. Here in Israel, the stories of the Bible come to life. But on the other hand, everyday life in Israel is very expensive and stressful.

As believers, some of our decisions intertwine with our desire to serve God, which raises the question: ‘What is God's will?’ What is God’s plan for me? What is my calling, and how do I make decisions that serve that plan for my life?

Here, it is important to take some time for introspection. At least once a year in a deep and thorough manner (for example, around the 10 Days of Awe and Yom Kippur), in order to gain focus and be refreshed with a ‘mini-introspection’ before holidays like Passover (the holiday of cleaning, which is a great opportunity for heart-searching!). Another opportunity to reflect is before the beginning of the week, with the idea to dedicate the week ahead to God, asking for His blessing and help for the week or period that lays before us.

Do we have expectations from prayer? Do we truly expect an answer?
We pray for the strength to do our Father's will in heaven, but are we ready to release our own desires and accept the outcome? Yeshua the Messiah taught us to pray,

“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

When we pray this prayer, we surrender to God's will. But how do we know what God's will is?

This week, Abraham asks his servant Eliezer to perform an important task – to find a suitable wife for Isaac. At the beginning of this mission, Abraham says to Eliezer:

“you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell” (Genesis 24:3)

Eliezer understands that he has two tasks. The first one is to find a suitable wife for Isaac; and the second one is to persuade her (and her family) to agree for her to marry a complete stranger from a far-off country. It won’t be easy to convince the family to send a young woman (all by herself) to a distant land to marry an unknown man, for several obvious reasons; one reason (which probably isn’t even their first concern), is that the family wouldn’t be able to support her in times of need. Understandably, in the end, Eliezer decides that only God can find the right match. The question is how Eliezer could be sure what the divine choice is when there’s no clear statement on the matter.

And so, in order to ensure that it’s indeed God's hand that’s guiding him (God’s will, and not his own will), Eliezer chooses a test:

“Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac.” (Genesis 24:14)

It’s somewhat surprising to read that, even after the divine answer unfolds before his own, amazed eyes, we read that:

“The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.” (verse 21)

Why does Eliezer hesitate? After all, the young woman (Rebekah) meets every condition of the test. What’s the lesson here? Can we learn that, even after we receive an answer from God, we still need to examine whether it’s truly God's will?

In my opinion: yes, we should take such matters seriously and examine more.
Our human nature tends to twist interpretations (any interpretation, on any matter) toward our own direction and thoughts. And so, even when we receive an answer, we should ask ourselves: Is this the answer/outcome I wanted? Is this what I want, or what God wants?

At the end of 1 Kings 22, we read about the violent death of Ahab. In the same story, the Kings of Israel and Judah plan to go to war against Ramoth-Gilead. These kings bring some 400 (!) prophets, who all say:

“Go, because the Lord will hand them over to you.” (verse 6)

Even after 400 prophets confirm this victory, Jehoshaphat still asks,

“Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here? Let’s ask him what we should do.” (verse 7)

Which is why they bring in Micaiah who prophesies that Ahab will die a violent death in the war.

What happens next, is that Ahab (and Jehoshaphat) listens to the argument between Zedekiah and Micaiah. Zedekiah is certain that the spirit upon him, is God’s spirit of truth. However, Micaiah is also sure of his position, saying that the Israelites will be defeated and Ahab will die in battle. Micaiah tries to convince that the spirit upon Zedekiah is a false spirit.
Here, Ahab has to decide: who is right? What is God's word? If Ahab would’ve listened to Micaiah, his life would have been spared.

And so, even when we think we hear from God, it’s wise to reconsider and be absolutely certain. This is why Eliezer, Abraham's servant, continues to test Rebekah and her family, even after she passes the test he set beforehand. Where do we stand today with tests or casting lots? Can we perform similar tests to those of Eliezer or Gideon, today? Where we place a piece of fleece and ask God to keep the fleece dry, while everything around it is wet; while the next test would be for the fleece to be wet, while everything around it stays dry? In the Bible, we read plenty of times about tests, including the casting of lots. For example:
...Saul catches his son Jonathan, who unknowingly broke the fast Saul had vowed for, and Saul does so by casting lots;
...in the Book of Jonah, the sailors casts lots, which falls on Jonah;
...when entering the Land of Israel, Joshua uses a lot to select Achan, who brought disaster upon Israel by sinning by taking the devoted things;
...Israel was divided into tribes and regions by the casting of lots;
...Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot by lots; and Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist), was chosen by lots for a role in the temple.

Despite all of these examples of lot-casting in order to determine God’s will for a given situation, the overwhelming majority of the sages of Israel today (with some measure of fairness) rule that we cannot rely on tests, signs or lot-casting today.

Nevertheless, I believe that God still communicates with us by means of signs until today. In situations where we feel stuck or cornered, and where we’re desperate for a clear sign from our Heavenly Father - He does answer.

The great difficulty and wisdom lays in knowing when God signals us that a door is (meant to be) closed, and that we shouldn’t force it open. And also - in case a door (in life) is (meant to be) open - for us to know we’re meant to walk through it, in faith: even when that journey is new, difficult or frightening.

May our Heavenly Father give us the wisdom to distinguish between our desires and His desires.

Yeshua, we are here to do Your will! Bless our hands and use our lives – for You and for Your Kingdom.

Please join us in prayer for:

Roeh Israel, our kehilla

Please keep praying for Joseph and Marcia, for Yehudit’s care, hand and thyroid, Batsheva and Zvi, and for Aharon who is post brain surgery – and for their families who stand faithfully by their side.

War

20 This week we donated 20 helmets for a Yahalom unit and 2 ceramic vests. May this high-quality equipment serve and help protect our soldiers who put everything on the line for our defence! What a wonderful opportunity to serve them, somewhat, in return. Lift up our soldiers (protection, health, endurance, mental strength and courage)

Pray for the People of Israel – daily and fervently! – and for the world that’s even more in a whirlwind, since October 7^th. We look up to Him Who gives us strength, and pray for the return of Messiah Yeshua.

Shabbat shalom,

Yehuda and Lydia Bachana
Netivyah and the Roeh Israel congregation