Think about what the world might have been like if God had created plants and animals before creating the atmosphere, oceans and continents.  Imagine what it would be like to have to go to the hospital for surgery and have the surgeon tell the anesthesiologist, "Wait until I make this incision first before administering the anesthesia."  How about having flight attendants make the beverage run as the plane is climbing in the initial ascent?  Have you ever taken children who can't swim out on a boat and consciously left the lifejackets back on the dock?  Do you ever let them ride in the car without having their seatbelts attached?  Try making a lemon meringue pie without using eggwhites.  All of the above is akin to riding a motorcycle without a helmet or what Boise drivers do whenever they approach a red traffic light: ignore the reality of the siuation, barrel on through at the risk of others, and let the consequences fall where they may as long as I get "my way."  In other words, disregard proper procedure.  But there are properly defined and categorized ways to do just about anything and when we ignore such proper procedure, we do so at our own and often other's peril.  It's the same thing with our faith life: there are properly defined spiritual practices to follow in order for us to grow and to help others to grow in the spirit of Jesus Christ.  To ignore proper procedure is to crack our heads in an attampt to do something we think God wants without asking God in prayer first.

 

So he said, ‘I am Abraham’s servant.  The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys.  And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has.  My master made me swear, saying, “You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.”

 

‘I came today to the spring, and said, “O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going!  I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, ‘Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,’ and who will say to me, ‘Drink, and I will draw for your camels also’—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.”

 ‘Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water-jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, “Please let me drink.”  She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, “Drink, and I will also water your camels.” So I drank, and she also watered the camels.  Then I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” She said, “The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.” So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms.  Then I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.  Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.’

 

And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’  So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,‘May you, our sister, become   thousands of myriads;may your offspring gain possession   of the gates of their foes.’ Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb.  Isaac went out in the evening to walk in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming.  And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, ‘Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself.  And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.  Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.