World Unyielding

“But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah…

Genesis 24:45

Here is the testimony of Abraham’s servant, sent to find a wife for Abraham’s son, Isaac. By his own account, he states that he prayed inaudibly. He pleaded for a sign of confirmation to ensure that his path was in accordance with the will of God. His request for a sign was not unreasonable. Would it simply have been enough for the servant to find any eligible young woman from Abraham’s people? Was he content with fulfilling only the bare minimum of what he had pledged to his master? No, he swore to Abraham concerning this endeavor and sought to excel in his duty. It was not presumptuous for him to pray for a sign, as the sign itself was intended to reveal the good character of the young woman whom he would bring to his master’s son. And the Lord, in His providence, rewarded the servant’s diligence in petitioning the God of his master.

Prayer did not lead to inactivity on the servant’s part. He meant what he prayed and took the opportunity to act in faith as Rebekah approached him. As a witness to the wisdom of God in leading His servants in prayer, the young woman responded to the servant’s request for water exactly as was prayed beforehand. There was no compulsion, neither was there any unwillingness on her part. She made haste and laid down her pitcher freely. She confirmed her ancestry much to the delight of the servant. She gladly wore gifts from the one she would marry. And not even Rebekah’s father would stand in the way of what God was doing here. In the unfolding of these events, God spoke plainly. Even Laban, the unbelieving brother of Rebekah, was forced to concede, saying, “…let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”

Plenty of speaking in the heart goes without hearing what God has to say in the unfolding of events before our eyes. It seems that believers today have enough to ask, but we are often robbed of the sight to see God orchestrating events in response to prayer. If a man always finds God causing events to align with his prayers, let him proclaim his perfection from the rooftops. But for the rest of us, it is often at crucial crossroads that God offers signs in accordance with our prayers to show us the way we must walk. Beyond whatever appears to be a token of God’s providence, we have a surer guide serving as guardrails: the very word of God and His Spirit, with whom there is no disagreement or inconsistency. To us who believe, they jointly witness, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” and “difficult is the way which leads to life”.