Genesis 24:32-47: a reflection

32The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.” Laban said, “Speak on.” 34He said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The LORD has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him. 37My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 38but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ 39I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’ 40He said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father’s house. 41Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don’t give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.’ 42I came today to the spring, and said, ‘The LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go— 43behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” 44then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’ 45Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink. 47I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.

As Abraham's servant recounts his mission to find a wife for Isaac, he tells how his prayer was answered even before he had finished asking: before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out. Before I had finished speaking in my heart, the servant recounts, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher. He had prayed silently, in his heart, for God to guide him to the right woman by a particular sign; and before he had even finished praying, God's answer was already arriving, Rebekah coming to the spring. God had answered even before the prayer was complete, so ready was he to guide his servant. This shows God's readiness to answer, even before we finish praying. God answers even before we finish praying. God's answer was already coming as the servant prayed. God is ready to guide and answer those who seek him. Before we finish asking, God may already be answering.

Notice the striking timing of the answer. The servant had prayed silently, in his heart, asking God to guide him to the right woman for Isaac by giving him a particular sign. And the answer came with astonishing speed: before he had even finished praying in his heart, Rebekah, the very woman God had appointed, was already coming out to the spring. God's answer was already on its way even as the prayer was being offered. This reveals something about God's readiness to answer those who seek his guidance. God is not slow, reluctant, or distant in responding to those who genuinely seek his help and guidance; he is ready, even eager, to answer. Sometimes, as here, the answer is already coming even before we have finished asking, so ready is God to guide. This is an encouragement to us to bring our need for guidance to God, trusting that he is ready to answer. We can imagine that God is reluctant or slow to answer, that we must struggle to get his attention or wait long for a response; but God is ready to guide those who seek him, and his answer may already be on its way even as we pray. We do well to bring our need for guidance to God, trusting his readiness to answer, sometimes even before we finish asking. God is ready to answer those who seek his guidance. Bring your need for guidance to God, trusting his readiness to answer. God's answer may be on its way even as we pray. Do not imagine God is slow or reluctant to guide those who seek him.

That is worth resting in, for God is ready to answer those who seek his guidance, sometimes even before we finish asking, as the servant's prayer was answered before he had finished praying in his heart. We can imagine God is reluctant or slow to answer; but the servant's prayer for guidance was answered with astonishing speed, God's answer already coming as he prayed. God is ready to guide. When you seek God's guidance, do not imagine he is slow or reluctant; bring your need to him, trusting his readiness to answer. Rest in the truth that God is ready to answer those who seek his guidance, sometimes even before we finish asking, as Abraham's servant, recounting his mission, told how his prayer was answered before he had finished asking, saying, before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out; for he had prayed silently, in his heart, for God to guide him to the right woman by a particular sign, and before he had even finished praying, God's answer was already arriving, Rebekah coming to the spring, so ready was God to guide his servant, which reveals something about God's readiness to answer those who seek his guidance, that he is not slow, reluctant, or distant in responding to those who genuinely seek his help but ready, even eager, to answer, and sometimes the answer is already coming even before we have finished asking, which encourages us to bring our need for guidance to God, trusting that he is ready to answer, since we can imagine that God is reluctant or slow, that we must struggle to get his attention or wait long, but God is ready to guide those who seek him and his answer may already be on its way even as we pray, so that we do well to bring our need for guidance to God, trusting his readiness to answer.

Lord, as Abraham's servant recounts his mission to find a wife for Isaac, he tells how his prayer was answered even before he had finished asking: before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out. He had prayed silently, in his heart, for you to guide him to the right woman by a particular sign; and before he had even finished praying, your answer was already arriving, Rebekah coming to the spring. You had answered even before the prayer was complete, so ready were you to guide your servant. This shows your readiness to answer, even before I finish praying. Show me the striking timing of the answer. The servant had prayed silently, in his heart, asking you to guide him by a particular sign. And the answer came with astonishing speed: before he had even finished praying, Rebekah, the very woman you had appointed, was already coming out to the spring. Your answer was already on its way even as the prayer was being offered. This reveals something about your readiness to answer those who seek your guidance. You are not slow, reluctant, or distant in responding to those who genuinely seek your help; you are ready, even eager, to answer. Sometimes the answer is already coming even before we have finished asking, so ready are you to guide. This encourages me to bring my need for guidance to you, trusting that you are ready to answer. I can imagine that you are reluctant or slow, that I must struggle to get your attention or wait long; but you are ready to guide those who seek you. Take that to my heart, for you are ready to answer those who seek your guidance, sometimes even before we finish asking. When I seek your guidance, keep me from imagining you slow or reluctant; help me bring my need to you, Lord, trusting your readiness to answer, whose answer may already be on its way even as I pray, as the servant's prayer was answered before he had finished.