This afternoon, after 2 of my children created another chocolate chip cookie disaster, I walked across my sugar-coated floor and surveyed the day’s damage. Clutter cozied into every corner. Dried muddy footprints lined the front hallway, and my goodness, the art box!
In a moment of desperation, I traded free reign of the art box for 2 hours of moderate quiet. I know for some moms this doesn’t seem too startling, but for me, the idea of a glitter and glue explosion is the stuff of nightmares. I operate a highly managed art box, solely giving rations based on academic needs.
Like you, my daily rhythms drastically changed. Like you, I feel overwhelmed and undermanned in my new Corona-induced roles. You are not alone!
I currently spend the majority of my day on the 3 main essentials: Homeschool Teacher. Cook. Mediator.
All else is simply non-essential. As the school clutter inevitably grows, my other visions for Spring are shoved aside. Mix in the fight against stress, fear and anxiety, and our new Corona-induced roles daunt us even more.
Overwhelmed by the heavy lift in our new reality, it is like we are all facing 10 Camels!
Walk with me back to Genesis for a moment.
Close to his death, Abraham instructed his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham forbade the servant to take a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites, but rather, to travel back to his family to find a mate for Isaac. The servant began his journey and took with him 10 camels.
This seems an obscure detail. You may have read this passage a thousand times and still missed it. However, the significance thunders into our reality today.
Loaded with all the essentials, the camels’ long, knobby legs lumbered their way towards Abraham’s homeland. It would be a long journey, but camels are equipped for long treks in the desert. Onward the servant went, away from Canaan and toward Abraham’s ancestral land.
And perhaps, while the servant bumped along on his camel, he pondered how to find the right wife for Abraham’s beloved son Isaac. She would have to be gracious and kind, hard-working, and a bit adventurous. The servant decided what he would do. He would go to the well at the time the young women of the village came to draw water. The woman who offered this travel-weary man a drink, and also offered to draw water for his camels, would be the one.
The servant prayed. The women began to arrive. Then, towards him walked Rebekah.
Did you know that a thirsty camel can drink about 30 gallons at one time?
If we do our math correctly, 30 Gallons x 10 Camels = 300 Gallons.
Assuming that Rebekah was a strong woman, she could carry about 5 gallons of water at one time. 300 Gallons/5 Gallons = 60 TRIPS.
Ancient wells were unlike the ones of the American Colonial days. There was no rope to pull up a bucket. Rebekah would walk down a few stairs, bend over to fill her jar, lift the heavy jar onto her shoulder, walk back up the stairs, and dump the water in the feeding trough. 60 TIMES!
Rebekah would have seen the 10 camels and known the heavy lifting required to water them. I’m not sure I would offer to do such a task for a strange man from a strange land!
But not Rebekah. She was ready and willing to do the heavy lifting. She saw the camels and offered to make the 60 trips to bring up water.
She had the heart of a servant, and she chose to act.
Coronavirus isolation measures are our 10 camels. This is our moment! Cloistered in close with our families. Mediating fights. Homeschooling. Cooking. Working from home, or not working at all. It is so much heavy lifting.
But I see you!
I see you working to relearn 7th grade math, wrestling with kids to complete their English assignment and manage their boredom. I see you nursing your babies in the middle of the night and making PB&J sandwiches with one hand while holding your crying baby in the other. I see you balancing work and kids, kids and work, and attempting to remain sane. I see you dressing in scrubs, masks, gloves, and goggles as you head into the ICU to serve. I see you reaching out in love to your elderly neighbors, delivering flowers and groceries, and calling to check on a grandma. I see you making more daily snacks than you usually do, cleaning the kitchen a million times, and mitigating screen-time like a pro. I see you reading a few extra picture books at night, tickling their toes and whispering your love.
Women across the ages have overcome unique challenges with the fortitude of a serving heart. You are marching in the ranks of heroes. I am so proud of you all! But mostly, God is proud of you. Well done, good and faithful servant.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1
Listen to my teaching on this passage from Genesis 23-25, Watering 10 Camels: The Legacy of a Servant in https://heatherjjonsson.com/my-teaching/
Also just doing my QT and realised how much water Rebekah had to draw for the 10 camels and had to google. Like she really spent quite a lot of time with this ‘strange’ man. The bible doesn’t say what time it was but it was a whole task of servitude. Wells were common places where women would socialise almost like a market/ grocery store. I just marvel at how obedient this woman was. She was also beautiful and I like that she took the man home and Laban honoured her and served this man. It is such a wonder and lovely that I stumbled on your blog.
Hi Maryann! So nice to meet you over this strange platform called the internet! 🙂 I love God’s Word, don’t you? Many passages bring so much human emotion smack dab in the middle of it all. As if to say, some things change and some things never do. I’m so thankful for the companionship of Biblical women who have walked this earth long before us!
Was just reading this passage in my morning devotions. I asked Alexa how much a camel drinks and then googled to discover the size of Rebekah’s jar. Your blog popped up. I’d just thought that water weighs 8 pounds to the gallon and that five gallons would be 40 pounds and quite all I’d want to carry. I’d done that math and thought of those steps up and down. I might have offered to water the camels but probably could not have completed the task. Women are heroes albeit unsung, every day. No matter what they make it happen. Thank you all for the blog and every comment. It has blessed me and aided my study. This will go with me always and I am certain our Father has a purpose.
Dawn, Yes! Women are often unsung heroes! I’m so thankful for this passage of scripture. I think of it often as I complete unglamorous, hard tasks. Doing it all for the glory of God! Blessing, friend!
Praise the lord wonderful message on Rebekah
Praise the lord wonderful message on ribca
Wow! Just what I needed 2 read! Thank U, Heather. I’ve been studying about Rebekah in order 2 teach a lesson to 10-year-olds and I love your way of making the story real. For myself, I loved the application to today’s pandemic. The challenges I face don’t seem so big now.
The lesson I learned from Rebekah is one my heart will carry for many years. I’m glad it encouraged you too!
Grate lesson
P.S. I think that would have been 60 trips. 😉
THAT is why I am not a homeschool teacher. 😉
THANKS for edit!!! I changed my math error.
This is really good, Heather. Those numbers about watering 10 camels are going right into the margin of my Bible! I have to admit that I’m kind of glad I don’t have young kids at home during this time, although just because they’re young adults doesn’t mean you’re not concerned or they don’t need help! May I share this on Facebook?
Melanie, Hi! Yes, having my kids home with me all day at times has been a struggle. But we are making the most of all the closeness, even when it involves teaching peacemaking! 🙂 Yes, please feel free to share.
Well written, Heather . I never thought about what would be involved in carrying all that water back. I KNOW from watching African women carrying water today, it IS a LOT of work! Yes, this would be the “fortitude of a serving heart” ! I loved your examples of calls to do this as we are home bound with the corona virus. I too have a shout out to young moms who are up at night, up early the next morning, and then need to serve and serve all day. For them and many others I SHOUT out all you serving hearts…… press on living for His glory.
Amen!!! Young moms do amazing things every single day, but especially in these challenging times! XO
Well written Heather and again, your insights are impeccable. I learn so much from you! I never thought about the strain of carrying water
God will strengthen our arms for the heavy lift. You are a bold testament of this!!