Stunned

Stunned

Genesis 24: ¹⁵ And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. ¹⁶ Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. ¹⁷ And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”

 

¹⁸ So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. ¹⁹ And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” ²⁰ Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. ²¹ And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

 

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Abraham’s servant was praying to the LORD, probably because he had seen Abraham do this often. He was not testing GOD or even trying to muster up faith by forcing GOD to do the impossible on his terms. He simply asked GOD to help him not make a mistake in choosing a wife for Isaac. Before he could finish speaking, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulders.

 

My Observations:

• The HOLY SPIRIT orchestrated the perfect timing of Abraham’s servant being at the well when Rebekah came out.
• Rebekah had a servant leader’s heart, able to serve strangers without complaint or personal gain.
• Abraham’s servant was stunned because the LORD answered his prayer exactly as he asked.

 

“Is this too good to be true?”, the servant may have asked himself. He asked a very specific prayer and it was answered so quickly and specifically. I believe GOD still does this. HE does not mind a specific prayer that is coupled with the right heart.

 

Abraham’s servant would gain nothing from this prayer being answered. The wife would be for Isaac, and Abraham would get the promise GOD had for him. Abraham’s servant wanted what was best for everyone else because he was already blessed by running Abraham’s household. He had everything Abraham had so he was as wealthy as Abraham. His prayer was answered.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD mention to Moses that Abraham’s servant remained silent, “wondering at her?”
• Have you ever asked GOD for something and it came through so quickly that you were stunned?
• Are you willing to ask GOD for something for someone else without the need for personal gain?

Criteria

Luke 7: ²² Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. ²³ And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

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“Write down your criteria for the person you are looking for” said Human Resources. I was searching for a candidate to hire and had to write a short list of standards the person needed to have in order to get the job.

• Sometimes I have set standards for how people will act.
• There were times when I set the conditions for how I expected people to behave.
• Sometimes I wonder what is the criteria for being GOD transformed into a human.

JESUS gives a shocking list that no human could do. HE healed the blind, lame, lepers and deaf people of their ailments. HE took it one step further and mention the dead are raised. One other strange item that JESUS added was “the poor have the gospel preached to them” as if not preaching to them was similar to the diseases and death HE just mentioned.

• GOD wants me to preach the gospel to the poor.
• GOD wants me to believe in HIS power over the physical body.
• GOD wants me to bold in my belief of HIM and the not be ashamed or offended by believing in HIM.

GOD’s standards are so far above mine. I mean, sometimes I just want GOD to give me a vacation or pay a few bills. HE is concerned about me and the other poor person HE sends me to, or the person who is sent to me. JESUS wants life and only HE can give it.

• Are you looking for something?
• Do you think you have the right criteria for your life?
• Can you allow GOD to guide you to the place HE wants you to be?