Genesis 24

Scripture:  Genesis 24:1-33

Observation:  Abraham is old, and he knows he won't live much longer.  There is one thing he needs to take care of - get a wife for his son Isaac.  Of one thing he is sure: he cannot let Isaac take a bride from the Canaanite women who worship false gods.  Abraham calls on his most trusted servant and commissions him to find a wife for Isaac from among his kin.  Abraham is very clear that Isaac is not to go; he must stay in the land the Lord has promised them.  The servant recognized the difficulty of taking on this task by himself, so he begins to pray and asks the Lord to show him who the woman is that will marry Isaac.  She is to come to the well where the servant has arrived with his camels and cargo, and when he asks her for a drink she will give him water and also water the camels.  Before the prayer is finished, a young Rebekah arrives, gives the servant water and also provides for all the camels.  When the servant asks her about her family, he is overjoyed to find that she is the great-granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham's brother.  The servant rejoices and praises God, and goes with Rebekah seeking lodgings.  He is received by Laban, Rebekah's brother, who welcome him and offer him food, but the servant will not eat until he carries out his commission.

Application:  God's great faithfulness is clearly apparent in this testimony.  The servant was well aware of the enormity of this responsibility.  Rather than go on his own "instincts" or find other ways to search for his master's bride, he calls on the Lord and is very specific in his petition.  God sees the desire of this servant to do well for his master, and God honors the servant by answering the prayer before it was even completed.  That is how I must also pray, with the surety that my Lord not only listens but can answer my prayer immediately, even before I finish asking, because He knows my needs even before I do.

Prayer:  Father, You are faithful and true, and Your Word is a promise never broken.  When I release all my problems to You, the results are always better than the most favorable outcome I could have imagined!  Yet how many times haven't I tried to retain "control" of the situation myself?  More times than I care to remember. Help me to see than my ways are not better than Your ways, and when I leave my life in Your hands I have nothing to fear, no cause for despair.  Thank You Father, for Your faithfulness.  In Jesus' name, Amen.