The Servant's Prayer
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Summary of Gen 24:1-41
Abraham calls his most trusted servant and gives him a charge not to find a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites, but from his own people back to his home country (Mesopotamia) and find a wife for Isaac.
The servant prepares for his journey taking camels and all sorts of choice gifts and when he reaches the Mesopotamian city of Nahor he stops and prays this prayer:
12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
Before he even finishes speaking Rebekah appears and offers water not only to the servant but to all his camels, fulfilling exactly what had been prayed.
We learn she is a principled woman from a principled family. (A stark contrast from the Canaanites and Sodomites.)
The servant gives gifts and asks to lodge at her father’s house, Rebekah confirms he can stay, and the servant worships God for his faithfulness
Rebekah’s brother Laban comes and urges the servant to come and stay.
The servant begins to share about Abraham and the charge he has given to the servant.
In the middle of the story the meal is brought in and the servant refuses to eat until he can finish the story.
42 “I came today to the spring and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, 43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44 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.’ 45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 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. 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.” 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”
PRAYER
Illustration: Answered prayer for our family
A servant of God reacts to answered prayer with worship. v 26
The servant worshiped God for providing
We worshiped God when we saw His timing
A servant of God denies self to proclaim God’s goodness. v 33
19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
A servant of God testifies to how great God is. v 48
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.