Genesis 24:26-31: a reflection

26The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD. 27He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.” 28The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words. 29Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. 30When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31He said, “Come in, you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”

When Abraham's servant, sent to find a wife for Isaac, sees that God has led him to the right place and the right woman, his immediate response is worship and thanksgiving. The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD, the account says. He said, Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way. The servant does not take the success of his errand for granted, or credit it to his own skill or good fortune; he recognizes God's leading in it, and responds at once with worship and thanks, blessing God for having led him. When he saw God's hand in his guidance, he worshiped. This is a fitting response to recognizing God's leading: to bow the head and give thanks, to bless God for having guided us. To recognize God's leading and respond with worship and thanksgiving, rather than taking it for granted, is what the servant models here. He saw that God had led him, and he worshiped. Recognizing God's guidance calls for worship and thanks.

Notice the servant's response to recognizing God's leading: immediate worship and thanksgiving. He saw that God had guided his errand, led him to the right place, kept faith with his master; and he did not merely note this with satisfaction or credit it to good fortune. He bowed his head, worshiped, and blessed God, giving thanks for the leading he had recognized. This is a fitting and beautiful response: to recognize God's hand in guiding us, and to respond at once with worship and thanks. We can experience God's guidance, see his hand leading us, and pass it by without acknowledgment, crediting it to luck or our own wisdom; but the servant recognized God's leading and worshiped him for it. To see God's hand in our guidance and give thanks, to worship him for leading us, honors him and keeps us mindful that our way is led by him, not merely by our own devising. When we recognize God's leading, worship and thanksgiving are the fitting response. The servant saw God's guidance and blessed him. Recognizing God's hand calls forth worship.

That is worth taking to heart, for recognizing God's leading calls for worship and thanksgiving, not for taking it for granted. We can experience God's guidance in our lives, see his hand leading us, and pass it by without acknowledgment, crediting it to luck or our own wisdom; but Abraham's servant, recognizing that God had led him, bowed his head and worshiped, blessing God for his leading. To recognize God's hand in guiding us and respond with worship and thanks honors him and keeps us mindful of his leading. Do not take God's leading for granted or credit it to luck; recognize his hand and respond with worship and thanksgiving, as the servant did. Recognize God's leading in your life and respond with worship and thanksgiving rather than taking it for granted or crediting it to luck, as Abraham's servant, seeing that God had led him to the right place, bowed his head and worshiped, blessing God for not forsaking his loving kindness; for God's hand guides us more than we often acknowledge, and to recognize his leading and respond at once with worship and thanks honors him and keeps us mindful that our way is led by him, so that we do well to see his guiding hand and give thanks rather than pass it by unacknowledged.

Lord, when Abraham's servant, sent to find a wife for Isaac, sees that you have led him to the right place and the right woman, his immediate response is worship and thanksgiving. The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD, the account says. He said, Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way. The servant does not take the success of his errand for granted, or credit it to his own skill; he recognizes your leading in it, and responds at once with worship and thanks. When he saw your hand in his guidance, he worshiped. Show me the servant's response to recognizing your leading: immediate worship and thanksgiving. He saw that you had guided his errand, led him to the right place; and he did not merely note this with satisfaction or credit it to good fortune. He bowed his head, worshiped, and blessed you, giving thanks for the leading he had recognized. This is a fitting and beautiful response: to recognize your hand in guiding us, and to respond at once with worship and thanks. I can experience your guidance, see your hand leading me, and pass it by without acknowledgment, crediting it to luck or my own wisdom; but the servant recognized your leading and worshiped you for it. Take that to my heart, for recognizing your leading calls for worship and thanksgiving, not for taking it for granted. I can experience your guidance in my life and pass it by without acknowledgment; but Abraham's servant, recognizing that you had led him, bowed his head and worshiped. Keep me from taking your leading for granted or crediting it to luck; help me recognize your hand and respond with worship and thanksgiving, Lord, as the servant did, mindful that my way is led by you.