Genesis 24:15-21 (ESV)

Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.

Wow, Rebekah’s words are exactly what he prayed for. Her showing up instantly adds to the sense that God is coming through big time. Her offer to water his camels, until they have finished drinking, is especially surprising. We just read in yesterday’s lesson that camels can really tank up if given the chance.

So he stares at her in silence.

But the text doesn’t just say that. It says that he gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not. He’s not done yet. Remember, Abraham asked him to go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

He needs her to be a relative. She is, but he doesn’t know that yet. Also, she must be willing to come with him, to marry Isaac sight unseen. That’s miles from a sure thing.

But the scene is electric with the sense of God’s involvement. What has happened already feels like a miracle.

The servant is just waiting to see what glorious thing the LORD is going to do next.

What a privilege. The servant is in the middle of an “I was there” moment that he’ll tell his grandchildren about.

And therein lies a curious lesson. It’s important to tell your grandchildren, and others, about your eyewitness experiences. Whether good or bad, you should let others know about significant events. Learning from others, instead of learning everything the hard way, is the very definition of wisdom used in Proverbs.

If miracles were an everyday thing, they wouldn’t be miracles. If you’re privileged to see God do something special, keeping it to yourself is just wrong.

That’s exactly why Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the gospels.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies