Prayers of father Abraham’s Servant

01/03/2021

We finished the lesson on Genesis Chapter 24 before the BSF took a break for the Chinese New Year holiday. Comparatively, this is the longest chapter of the book of Genesis. With the COVID-19, all group sharing, and lectures are virtual except the written notes. The lesson is a familiar story in three parts. The father Abraham (Gen.24:1-9), an unnamed servant (24:10-61), and the detail on Isaac and Rebecca is brief (62-67). 

The (Time) was when Abraham was old and lived in Canaan (Place/location). Concerning God’s purpose (Genesis 2:18) and promises (Gen.12:1-3), Abraham resolves to find a wife for his son, Isaac. And he asks a senior servant in his household to swear by the LORD of God of heaven and earth to see through that Isaac shouldn’t marry to any Canaanites’ daughters. And the romance of Isaac Rebecca merits separate writing. 

I first studied the book on Genesis many years ago. This nameless servant’s prayer (Genesis 24:10-61)was exemplary of Prayer 101 to me. He is sincere, specific, concise, spirit-led in every step he takes. It had challenged me to take part in what says in Jeremiah 29:11-13 that in line with this servant’s prayer in Genesis 24 as my prayer for God’s purpose, plans and promises for me. I have also embraced scriptures from Proverbs 3:5-6 in my walk of faith.

I thought puff-upness to be a candidate for a prayer graduate, till I put my heart on Genesis 24:10-61. Thinking of a name is essential, yet he was unnamed, which means that he wouldn’t earn anything for himself for what he did. He saw the miracle that God gave his aged master a son, Isaac. He was also an old man, himself. But with a strong sense of mission and his love for his master, he took on a 600 miles long journey on his master’s command. 

He knew what’s ahead of him. He knew that God would be with him and enable him to keep his promise to his master in Faith. As a servant in humanity, he prayed single-mindedly and waited for God’s marching order before taking every step. He specifically asked God to point him to approach the right girl, and God was faithful. Besides his faithfulness, honourable, and love toward his master, Abraham, I saw his total reliance upon the Almighty.

I pray for myself, my loved ones, and others like most Christians. I admitted that I could Relate (who God is), Repent (changing the mindset towards Him), but the challenge is that the third ‘R-word’ Rely (on His will and His ways). From this part of the story, Abraham’s servant needs not to have a name for people to remember who he is and his deeds for God and his master because it is all about HIM. It says that no Christian can graduate from Prayer. As we are in the New Testament time, we have had Jesus and the Holy Spirit in us, we only need to pray without ceasing as says in: 

Luke 18:1 NIV

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.