When we meditate on these words, we as servants of the Lord ...
The oldest servant responsible for managing Abraham's household property,
after pledging to carry out his master Abraham's instructions,
put his hand under his master's thigh and swore to do as his master commanded.
He then loaded ten of his master's camels with various good things
and set out for Mesopotamia to Nahor's city (Haran), Abraham's homeland.
The place he chose for seeking a wife for Isaac, Abraham's son, was by the well outside the city.
Additionally, he chose the timing to be around evening, when the women came to draw water.
Here is the content of the prayer he offered to God:
"Lord, the God of my master Abraham, make me successful today,
and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring,
and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
May it be that when I say to a young woman, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,'
and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'—
let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.
By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master"
(Genesis 24:9-14).
"If she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,’
let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son Isaac.
By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder.
She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah,
who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her.
She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
“Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too,
until they have had enough to drink.”
So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well
to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.
Without saying a word, the man watched her closely
to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.
When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka
and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.
Then he asked, "Whose daughter are you?
Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?"
She answered him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nahor."
Then she said, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night"
(Genesis 24:14-25).
"I praise the Lord, the God of my master Abraham,
who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master.
As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives."
In other words, he praised the God of Abraham
who led him straight to the house of his master's relatives to seek a bride for Isaac.
When meditating on this passage, as servants of the Lord, we learn the following lessons:
- We must pledge obedience to the Lord's word.
- We should pray for the ability to successfully accomplish the tasks entrusted to us by the Lord.
- We must wisely carry out the Lord's work in His time and His way, at the place and in the manner that He desires.
- We should silently observe to see if the Lord's guidance is successful.
- With faith and humility, we must worship the Lord, acknowledging His guidance with confidence, and give glory to Him.