“And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.” Genesis 29:10 (NKJV)
Jacob had traveled a long distance to Haran and met some shepherds with their flocks waiting for the time when the well’s stone would be moved to water their sheep. In talking with the shepherds he learned that his mother’s brother, Laban was well and still living in Haran. In fact, his daughter, Rachel was headed toward the well with her flock of sheep to wait for the time to water the sheep.
Jacob behaved like a love-struck young man. Even though it wasn’t time to water the sheep, he took it upon himself to go, roll away the stone and water the flock for Rachel. After watering the sheep, Jacob “kissed” Rachel and wept (Genesis 29:11). The word translated “kissed” in the NKJV could also be translated “touched gently.”
Now, put yourself in Rachel’s place for a moment. She’s bringing the sheep as she did every day to get them the water they needed to survive. She’s expecting to need to wait until the proper time when the stone will be rolled away like it was every day. Instead this stranger rolls away the stone, takes over making sure each of her sheep get all the water they need. Then he comes and touches her gently – maybe a light kiss which would be the custom of family or close friends greeting each other. At this time she has no idea who this stranger is!
Jacob doesn’t let her wait long in suspense about who he is. He explains that his mother is her father’s brother – they are cousins. Rachel runs back home to tell her father. The Bible doesn’t tell us a lot of the details, but I guarantee you that the sheep were not running along with her. She evidently left the sheep with Jacob while she ran ahead to tell her father the news of this stranger (who she has now left with the family’s sheep).
What can I learn from Rachel’s experience so far in this story? She was busy doing the tasks that God had assigned her to do – taking care of the family’s sheep. I need to daily do the tasks that God assigns me to accomplish for Him.
When a stranger came and helped her with her task of caring for the sheep, she listened to his story and then without waiting to care for the sheep any longer, ran to her father to let him know that his nephew had come for a visit. She trusted the stranger that God had brought into her life enough that she left the sheep with him trusting that he would bring the sheep along the same path she was taking to bring them home. Sometimes it is hard to know when to trust strangers and when not to trust them. Only by staying in God’s Word and daily communion with Him can I recognize God’s voice leading me when to trust and when not to trust.
Listen to Casting Crowns sing “Voice of Truth.”
Published on MyBibleRoom.com 1/12/24, 5:00 pm