Abraham’s Servant’s Prayer

Genesis 24:1-26

Abraham is old and send his servant on a mission to find a wife for his son Isaac. In this mission, Abraham gives some clear instructions and puts his servant under oath (vv.1-4). The instructions are two-fold; a wife shouldn’t be chosen from the Canaanites among who Abraham dwells, rather, a wife should be chosen from Abraham’s family or country. The reason may be what the Canaanites were known for. They were a people under a curse and perhaps, Abraham will not want marriage from amongst them.

This instruction also appears to be a shadow for Christian marriage. We are not to be yoked together with unbelievers in marriage. Now the servant sets forth on this as agreed together with Abraham. In the text, from vv.12-26, prayer is recorded and from this prayer, we will glean some lessons.

Prayer Is To Be Directed To God

And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham” (v.12).

Every true prayer offered must be offered to God. And we see this clearly in the text. The prayer was directed to God. The servant addressed the God of Abraham. That leaves no room for doubt here who was been prayed to. The object of our prayer is God. Jesus taught his disciples and by extension us to pray to “Our Father in heaven”.

Prayer Is A Plea

“Please grant me success today”.  These words point us to one who is making a plea to God. The word please in the original language carries with it the idea of making entreaties, beseeching or begging. And when we come to God in prayer, we plead for his mercies to be granted to us. Nowadays many people have turned prayer into “decreeing and declaring” which is no prayer at all.

Specific In Request

We listen to the prayers of the servant and he was specific in his prayer. He requested specifically for success in the mission he has been sent on.

Acknowledgement of God’s Sovereignty

The servant didn’t just pray, but he prayed for guidance that God will lead him to the one he has appointed for Isaac. This is instructional. In all of our prayers, we should acknowledge God has the final say in the answer to our prayers. He is the Almighty, Sovereign God.

Prayer Must Be Offered In Faith

Prayer must be offered in faith knowing that God hears us. This faith must lead us to take action where the action is required. After the servant had prayed, he approached Rebekah and made specific requests of her; those things on which he has prayed to God.

Now this faith, for the believer must be in the person of Jesus Christ for he is the mediator through whom our prayer will be offered to God.

Thanksgiving In Prayer

The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsman”(v.26).

After everything has unfolded, the servant praised God. In our prayers, we must be thankful.

Prayer is important in our  Christian walk and we must endeavour indeed to make prayer a daily part of our lives. Let’s pray that we will not only talk about the ideals of prayer but rather, we would pray.

 

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