Written by: Matthew Rich

Genesis 24 v 10-11
The servant took ten of Abraham’s camels and left, carrying with him many different kinds of beautiful gifts. He went to North West Mesopotamia, to Nahor’s city. In the evening, when the women come out to get water, he made the camels kneel down at the well outside the city.

Notes
Abraham's servant was obedient to what Abraham commanded him to do. Abraham said and the servant did it. We don't hear of any argument or complaining. We don't read that the servant thought he had a better idea which he decided to do instead! All we read is that the servant went and did what he was told to do. 

We are meant to be servants of the Most High God. He never makes a mistake in what He tells us to do, BUT we often question His wisdom, we argue that we know better and make excuses to justify what we want to do so we can feel more comfortable with it. This should not be so. When we read in God's word an instruction from Him, or His opinion on something, we should not think we know better - we should just kneel down at the feet of the King of Kings and say, "Yes, Lord! What you say is true and for the best, and so I will do it."

Can I encourage you: following God 100% is the most exciting thing you can ever do. Try it from today and you will not be disappointed. 

Genesis 24 v 12-14
The servant said, “LORD, God of my master Abraham, allow me to find a wife for his son today. Please show this kindness to my master Abraham. Here I am, standing by the spring, and the girls from the city are coming out to get water. I will say to one of them, ‘Please put your jar down so I can drink.’ Then let her say, ‘Drink, and I will also give water to your camels.’ If that happens, I will know she is the right one for your servant Isaac and that you have shown kindness to my master.”

Notes
Listen to the words of the servant again: "Lord, God of my master Abraham..." What do you notice wrong here? Whose Lord and God was the servant praying to? It seems that this servant was obedient, but maybe not a believing servant! He did not start his prayer, "Lord God, help me," but he called on Abraham's Lord and God to help him. It appears that this man did not know God for himself, but was praying to another man's (Abraham's) God.

Who do you pray to? The God that you know, love and follow, or the God that you have heard about, who you know you should love and follow? There is a vast difference between knowing someone personally and knowing about someone. God wants us all to know, love and worship Him personally - but I think a lot of us confuse this with the fact that we have heard about God and what He has done and therefore we think that that is enough. But it isn't.

Can I encourage you: if it feels that God is distant from you and not someone you know personally, say sorry to Him and turn again and follow Him closely, talk to Him and learn from Him today.

Genesis 24 v 15-17
Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, came out of the city. (Bethuel was the son of Milcah and Nahor, Abraham’s brother.) Rebekah was carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She was very pretty, a virgin; she had never had sexual relations with a man. She went down to the spring and filled her jar, then came back up. The servant ran to her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

Notes
Isn't it interesting to notice that even before the servant had FINISHED praying, Rebekah was already on her way! Which means that even before the servant had BEGUN praying, God was at work behind the scenes so that Rebekah was ready and willing to go to the water well at the right moment! In the book of Matthew, chapter 6, verse 8, we are told that God already knows the things that we need before we ask Him for them. This was true for Abraham's servant, and it is also true for you - all of the time!

You may wonder then why you should bother praying at all if God already knows what you need before you ask. Prayer is not really about telling God things He doesn't know; it is about admitting to ourselves and to God that we NEED Him and His help. Prayer removes the opportunity for boasting in our own ability because when God answers and helps us, all the glory goes to Him, which is where it always should be. 

Can I encourage you: God knows every detail of your situation already, and He is at work behind the scenes, even now. Let's tell God that we need Him and trust that He knows best. 

Genesis 24 v 18-21
Rebekah said, “Drink, sir.” She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder and gave him a drink. After he finished drinking, Rebekah said, “I will also pour some water for your camels.” So she quickly poured all the water from her jar into the drinking trough for the camels. Then she kept running to the well until she had given all the camels enough to drink.
The servant quietly watched her. He wanted to be sure the LORD had made his trip successful. 

Notes
It's interesting to notice here how kind Rebekah is. When we read the words, it is so easy for us to miss the amount of effort that is involved in what is only a few words of scripture: "I will also pour some water for your camels.”

Stop and imagine that you are Rebekah. You have a job to do: getting water from the well to take home. Then you see a thirsty man, and very kindly you decide to give him some of your water to drink. This is very considerate of you, but it doesn't involve you in too much extra work. However, for you to then turn and offer to provide the water for ten thirsty camels - now that is a lot of extra work for you! Those few words - "water for your camels" - really involve a sacrifice in time and effort, and they are also the words the servant was waiting to hear. He had asked God for something that was a tall order, but God had provided the answer.

In Matthew 5 v 40, Jesus tells us to be as helpful to others as possible. He says that if someone asks us to go one mile with them, we should offer to go two. What Rebekah did was go the extra mile. We too need to put others before our own wants.

Can I encourage you to do something extra for someone each day this week. If it costs you in time and effort then it's the thing to do!

Genesis 24 v 22-27
After the camels had finished drinking, he gave Rebekah a gold ring weighing 5 grammes and two gold arm bracelets weighing about 110 grammes each. He asked, “Who is your father? Is there a place in his house for me and my men to spend the night?”
Rebekah answered, “My father is Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.” Then she said, “And, yes, we have straw for your camels and a place for you to spend the night.”
The servant bowed and worshipped the LORD and said, “Blessed is the LORD, the God of my master Abraham. The LORD has been kind and truthful to him and has led me to my master’s relatives.”

Notes
In those days, to marry within the extended family was seen as the best and right thing to do. How amazed and happy the servant must have been to hear that this young lady was one of his master's distant relatives. 

The servant must have originally felt like he was given an impossible task, to find a suitable wife for his master's son, to go to a distant land and choose from unknown people - how would he make the right choice? He must have felt like he was stumbling around in the dark, trying to make a good choice with very little control over the situations around him.

As he approached the end of his task, what did he discover: that his seemingly random choice produced the perfect match. What did the servant say? "Wow, how lucky I was", or "What an amazing piece of chance"? No, he said, "Blessed is the Lord... The Lord has been kind". He realised that this was God's doing. He felt blind and out of control, but someone far greater than he was IN CONTROL.

Can I encourage you: God is in control even when it seems that all around you is out of control. Remember that God promises in the Bible (Romans 8 v 28) that everything works together for good for those who love God. Whatever situation you are in, the Lord is using it for your good if you love Him.

Genesis 24 v 28-31
Then Rebekah ran and told her mother’s family about all these things. She had a brother named Laban, who ran out to Abraham’s servant, who was still at the spring. Laban had heard what she had said and had seen the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms. So he ran out to the well, and there was the man standing by the camels at the spring. Laban said, “Sir, you are welcome to come in; you don’t have to stand outside. I have prepared the house for you and also a place for your camels.”

Notes
Rebekah ran to tell her family what had just happened, then Laban ran back to the well to find the servant. People ran here and there; excitement and expectation was high. Something amazing and exciting had just happened to Rebekah - her whole family was full of joy and felt good. What is interesting is that what had happened was even better than they thought! They didn't know it but Rebekah had just been selected to join the chosen family of God! There was a real reason for excitement and rejoicing!

Christians have also been selected to join the chosen family of God - what a privilege that is for us. Rebekah had done nothing to deserve this - it had nothing to do with her; it was all of God. The same is true for us! In Revelation 2 v 4 we read that God was not pleased with the church in Ephesus because it had lost its first love for Jesus. Rebekah was excited at being chosen to join the family, so also we should be excited about what Jesus has done for us to allow us to join His family.

Can I encourage you to ask yourself whether you love Jesus as much as you did when you first turned to Him to save you? Does your excitement at being in His family shine through to others? If not, then why not ask Him today to help you start again. 

Genesis 24 v 32-38
So Abraham’s servant went into the house. After Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and food, he gave water to Abraham’s servant so he and the men with him could wash their feet. Then Laban gave the servant food, but the servant said, “I will not eat until I have told you why I came.”
So Laban said, “Then tell us.”
He said, “I am Abraham’s servant. The LORD has greatly blessed my master in everything, and he has become a rich man. The LORD has given him many flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and horses. Sarah, my master’s wife, gave birth to a son when she was old, and my master has given everything he owns to that son. My master had me make a promise to him and said, ‘Don’t get a wife for my son from the Canaanite girls who live around here. Instead, you must go to my father’s people and to my family. There you must get a wife for my son.’”

Notes
The servant and his men were probably hungry and looking forward to some good company and good food. However, the servant did not rush to get what he could but wanted everyone to fully understand why he was there - what his mission was. The servant's desire to be upfront, honest and full of integrity was more important to him than a bit of pleasure, food and feasting.

Are we always upfront, honest and full of integrity? Or are we economical with the truth when it is to our advantage to be so? To hide things for personal gain is not the attitude that the Lord wants us to have. When you are with non-Christians, do you hide your belief to enable you to fit in and not miss out? If that is what you do, can I ask you to think about how important that says your belief in Jesus is?

Can I encourage you to be upfront, honest and truthful to all around you - letting them know what you believe about Jesus and what He means to you. Let your light shine out - do not hide it under a bucket!


word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes