City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

The Word

¹⁰ Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. ¹¹ And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. ¹² And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. ¹³ Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴ Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

Genesis 24:10-14 ESV

¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

John 16:13 ESV

Aisha’s Analysis

Learning to hear God’s voice and follow His direction can be scary. It requires stepping out into the unknown and trusting the Lord to guide you with each step. That’s exactly what Abraham’s servant did when he ventured out to find a wife for Isaac per his master’s instructions. 

In today’s verses, we see the servant packed ten camels with all sorts of gifts from his master. This shows us that he went out prepared and in expectation. 

God does the same with us. He gives us what we need for the journey ahead. The gifts God gives us are not just for us to enjoy personally. They have an intended purpose for the people He assigns to us. 

Additionally, we see that the servant prayed to the Lord to grant him success. Prayer opens doors for God to move in our lives. I’m sure the servant did not have a clue as to how he would decide whom to possibly pick out from the group of ladies coming to the well. He prayed very specifically:  Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master (Genesis 24:14 ESV). 

In our very fortunate modern culture where we have the ability to draw out gallons of water by simply turning a faucet, I don’t think we realize how extraordinary the servant’s prayer request is. The servant had ten camels. Ten. One camel can drink up to 53 gallons in one sitting! (How Much Water Can A Camel Drink? 🐫🐪 (Explained) (wildlifefaq.com)) 

This wasn’t an easy, ordinary sign the servant asked for. This shows us the servant was operating from a place of faith and trust in God alone. He didn’t just leave this huge decision to chance or his own human judgment. He was relying on God. He let the Lord lead him. 

Application

Is there any area of life you are trying to figure out on your own? If there’s anyone who cares about the trajectory of your life, it’s the Lord. He cares so much that He made a way for His Spirit to dwell permanently inside us to guide us along His perfect path for our lives. That way is Jesus. 

If you are dealing with an area of lack or frustration in your life, turn your attention to Jesus. Allow Him to guide you through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. Ask big and look for His provision expectantly. Dare to believe in God’s faithfulness. Putting our hope in God never disappoints. Let Him be the one to lead you. 

Prayer

Father God, I want to thank You for showing Yourself strong on my behalf. When I was lost in the wilderness of sin and self, You freed me. You sent Your Son to pay the price for my sin. Now I can live in peace with You and my neighbors. I devote myself to You and Your ways and trust You to lead me along Your perfect path for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.