Song # 2350 from Our Gospel In Song Collection by Col Johnston. We read in Genesis chapter 28 that Isaac, Jacob’s father, sent him to find a wife from one of Laban’s daughters in Paddan Aram. Laban was Rebekah’s brother.
Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him and commanded him “Do not marry a Canaanite woman” (Genesis 28:1). “Go at once to Paddan Aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother” (Genesis 28:2). “May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples” (Genesis 28:3). “May God give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham” (Genesis 28:4). Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and Jacob went to Paddan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethual and brother of Rebekah who was the mother of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 28:5). Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when Isaac blessed Jacob he commanded him “Do not marry a Canaanite woman” (Genesis 28:6), and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram (Genesis 28:7). Esau then realised how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac (Genesis 28:8), so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath his daughter, in addition to the wives he already had (Genesis 28:9).
Thought for today: set your heart on heavenly things above, and not on earthly things.
Thought for the future: there’s only one way to heaven, but that’s all we need. Where will you spend your eternity?