36 “When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my master has given him everything he owns. 37 And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. 38 Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.’
42 “So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O Lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission. 43 See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a young woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” 44 If she says, “Yes, have a drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master’s son.’
45 “Before I had finished praying in my heart, I saw Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ So I drank, and then she watered the camels.
Genesis 24:38-38; 42-46 (NLT)
IT’S NOT ABOUT US
Do you remember playing the telephone game as a child? The one where everyone sits in a circle and a message is whispered from person to person until the last person gets it and says it out loud? It was always funny to hear how much the original message had changed. Genesis 24 has quite a bit of repetition as the oath, the prayers, and the responses are shared from person to person. However, the message remains consistent throughout the story.
In verses 37 and 38, the servant repeats the oath he swore with Abraham to Rebekah’s brother, Laban. He also shares the prayer he prayed, asking God to bring a girl to the well who would give him a drink of water and offer to water his camels too (verses 42-46). The servant wraps up the story by asking Laban if they will indeed show kindness and faithfulness to his master. If not, he will go elsewhere. Worth noting is that Laban addresses the servant as “you who are blessed by the Lord” (v. 31). His faith is obvious to Rebekah’s family right away.
The servant has such an unselfish attitude throughout this story. We learned yesterday that he managed all that Abraham owned. That is a huge responsibility. When he takes the oath, there is no thought expressed about who will take care of everything while he is away. His only question is about what to do for Isaac if the woman won’t come with him. Secondly, he prays on the way to the well, asking God to bless his master, just as he asked Laban to do. Third, when he meets Rebekah, he bows down and worships, thanking God for blessing his master. His focus and concern are always with others.
At NorthStar, one of our core values is “It’s not about us.” Abraham’s servant portrays this beautifully throughout the story. As we reflect on his role today, let us ask God for guidance on where we can change our thoughts and attitudes to be less about us and more about Him and others.
Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.
