Belles of the Bible: Rebekah

When I think of enthusiastic hostesses of the Bible, Rebekah is one of the first women that

enters my mind.

We’re introduced to Rebekah in Genesis chapter 24 when Abraham’s servant is sent to the city

of Nahor to find Abraham’s son, Isaac, a wife from his kin.

The servant prays that the damsel who is meant to be Isaac’s wife will demonstrate hard work

and hospitality by not only drawing water for him, but also his camels as well. Needless to say,

Rebekah passes the test with flying colors.

“She said, ‘Drink, my lord.’ And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink.

When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will draw water for your camels also, until

they have finished drinking.’ So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the

well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.” Genesis 24:18-20

In these verses we see multiple instances of how quickly Rebekah tackled this task. She didn’t

just leisurely draw water, she RAN.

I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to run with a heavy jug of water, but it isn’t easy. And at the

end of the day, hosting is a lot of work both physically and mentally. But Rebekah teaches us

that we should tackle this work with a joyful heart.

In addition to her work at the well, Rebekah also opens her home to the servant without

hesitation. She didn’t worry if the house was presentable, or if she had the perfect meal

prepared. Instead, she was ready at a moment’s notice to bless a stranger by providing shelter

and food.

The next time you are met with an unexpected guest at your door, I hope you remember

Rebekah’s story and it helps you greet the situation with enthusiasm.

Happy hosting!