The prayer of Eleazer

     

    "Ho! Everyone who thirst, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come buy and eat. Yes come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you--the sure mercies of David. Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near." (Isaiah 55:1,3,6)

      In chapter 24 of Genesis we read of Abraham sending his servant back to where he had come from in Nahor, and instructing him to find a wife for his son Isaac, and to bring her back to Canaan. Chapter 24 doesn’t give us the servant’s name but we assume that it is the same servant mentioned in chapter 15, Elieazer, who would have inherited all of Abraham’s goods if God had not miraculously provided a son. The servant was charged with the mission of finding a young woman, of Abraham’s family, who would be willing to come and be Isaac’s bride. Most of us are very familiar with this beautiful story, but how many of us remember the prayer that the servant uttered when he arrived in the city of Nahor? He had arrived after a long journey with his ten camels just at the time of day when the women went to the well to fetch water. Then he prayed this magnificent prayer of faith that no doubt, came directly from God:

   “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold I stand by the well of water and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘ Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ And she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” (Genesis 24:12-14)

    We know what happened next. Rebekah, who was a niece of Abraham, came and fulfilled the requirements that the servant prayed exactly.  She gave him a drink and also drew water for all the camels.  Later she consented to come back with him to be Isaac’s bride and traveled back to Canaan the next day! So many wonderful lessons come from this chapter about the obedience and faith of the servant and the servant spirit and faith of Rebekah. But what do you think about the prayer? (Read all of chapter 24 of Genesis.)

How specific are my prayers to God each day? Am I calling out specifically for people who need salvation, comfort, faith, employment, or healing? Am I searching my heart to confess specific sins and confessing them to God? O Lord, help me today to pray like Eleiazer and help me to have a servants heart like him.

Pray:

1.     That I will be more specific in my prayers for the lost, those who are sick, those who are struggling with children, parents or other family members.

2.     That I will be more compassionate toward those who are weak in their faith and allow me to come along side them and share their burdens with them.

3.     That you will help me to be a good steward of all that you have entrusted to me, just as Elieazer was with Abraham’s goods.

4.     That we will continue to spend time in prayer every day for those things that the Lord puts on our hearts and for the Thirst conference.