Genesis 24:22-28 (ESV)

When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?” She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen.” Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about these things.

Ten camels is a lot of wealth. In modern Israel, a single camel can be the prize possession of a family. Rebekah would be expected to be nice to a traveler displaying such obvious treasure. Still, her offer to draw the water for the camels was pretty bold; this could have turned into a big job. Rebekah showed that she understood this when she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”

So the servant breaks out some serious gold and gives it to her. Then he asks for an identity check and a room for the night. When her answer is exactly what he’s hoping for, he launches into prayer and worship. In this he reveals that his master is Abraham and that he’s searching for a relative of his. Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about these things.

In the culture of the day it’s obvious that he’s shopping for a bride. Still, the gold he gives to Rebekah is eye popping. She reacts as if she’s won the lottery and runs home to tell momma.

But she’s not excited about the gold. If that was it, she would have left earlier. No, it’s hearing him thank the LORD and mentioning Abraham that triggers her race home.

The whole scene just tingles with God’s supernatural involvement, and Rebekah is caught up in the excitement.

The problem with experiences like this is that over time their memory fades. We need to counter that, so that we remain mindful of the thrill of knowing God, even if it does only pop up occasionally.

Sure, there’s a cost to being a Christian; any gospel that fails to warn you about the sacrifice is a false gospel.

But knowing God is sometimes a blast and, frankly, the encouraging times are essential to keeping us from burning out. Thus, we need to make a point of savoring those moments.

Abraham’s servant is really enjoying this – as he should. He celebrates with on-the-spot worship and prayer. Think about that the next time you have a “mountaintop experience.”

And notice that the servant’s worship and prayer are rewarded by God. They’re what launch Rebekah.

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

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