Monday in Lent

1Verse 1. By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. 2Verse 2. So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, 3Verse 3. and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, 4Verse 4. but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5Verse 5. The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6Verse 6. Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there. 7Verse 7. The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’— He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there. 8Verse 8. And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” 9Verse 9. So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter. 10Verse 10. Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim. 11Verse 11. As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water. 12Verse 12. “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13Verse 13. Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14Verse 14. Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’— let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” 15Verse 15. Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16Verse 16. Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again. 17Verse 17. So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.” 18Verse 18. “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19Verse 19. After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.” 20Verse 20. And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels. 21Verse 21. Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success. 22Verse 22. And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels. 23Verse 23. “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24Verse 24. She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.” 25Verse 25. Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.” 26Verse 26. Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, 27Verse 27. saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

1Verse 1. The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth — and not I alone, but also all who know the truth — 2Verse 2. because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: 3Verse 3. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, will be with us in truth and love. 4Verse 4. I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father has commanded us. 5Verse 5. And now I urge you, dear lady — not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning — that we love one another. 6Verse 6. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love. 7Verse 7. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Verse 8. Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded. 9Verse 9. Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10Verse 10. If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him. 11Verse 11. Whoever greets such a person shares in his evil deeds. 12Verse 12. I have many things to write to you, but I would prefer not to do so with paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come and speak with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13Verse 13. The children of your elect sister send you greetings.