Scripture - Gen 24:18-21 18 So she said, "Drink, my lord." Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking." 20 Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
Observation - Rebekah had not idea what blessing she was in for as she served the man at the well. Abraham's servant went looking for a bride for Isaac - one to whom he would give all the wealth and riches that had been gained. Rebekah was simply being faithful to serve the man. Her kindness and compassion to bring give the man a drink and then water his camels was the very character quality God was looking for. I don't think we take time to understand what she really did. The bible said that she gave water to the camels til they finished drinking. Camels don't drink water for large periods of time - when they drink they can drink up to 20 gallons of water each. There were 10 camels for a total of 200 gallons of water. Assuming the pot she was carrying was 5 gallons (unlikely) she would have had to go to the well 40 times. Not to mention filling each jar, pouring the water, carrying the water up the stairs - each 5 gallons weighing some 40 pounds.
Rebekah did all this for a stranger. What a quality. And she reaped a great reward for her efforts. Can you imagine the blessing we would reap if we would be half as compassionate and half as faithful.
Application - All too often we assess the amount of work that we will have to do to bless someone and weigh that against the reward. Rebekah simply served the stranger. She did all that work to bless the man, a man she didn't even know. I believe we need to start serving the strangers around us. Serving them and filling them with living water. Blessing them until they finish drinking. Stop evaluating how much work goes into the blessing and just give ourselves fully. Let God take care of the reward and recognition. How many pots of water can I carry today.
Prayer - Father help me carry pots of water to the strangers in my life. Help me to serve without regard to what is in it for us. Without measuring the results. Just SERVE!
Observation - Rebekah had not idea what blessing she was in for as she served the man at the well. Abraham's servant went looking for a bride for Isaac - one to whom he would give all the wealth and riches that had been gained. Rebekah was simply being faithful to serve the man. Her kindness and compassion to bring give the man a drink and then water his camels was the very character quality God was looking for. I don't think we take time to understand what she really did. The bible said that she gave water to the camels til they finished drinking. Camels don't drink water for large periods of time - when they drink they can drink up to 20 gallons of water each. There were 10 camels for a total of 200 gallons of water. Assuming the pot she was carrying was 5 gallons (unlikely) she would have had to go to the well 40 times. Not to mention filling each jar, pouring the water, carrying the water up the stairs - each 5 gallons weighing some 40 pounds.
Rebekah did all this for a stranger. What a quality. And she reaped a great reward for her efforts. Can you imagine the blessing we would reap if we would be half as compassionate and half as faithful.
Application - All too often we assess the amount of work that we will have to do to bless someone and weigh that against the reward. Rebekah simply served the stranger. She did all that work to bless the man, a man she didn't even know. I believe we need to start serving the strangers around us. Serving them and filling them with living water. Blessing them until they finish drinking. Stop evaluating how much work goes into the blessing and just give ourselves fully. Let God take care of the reward and recognition. How many pots of water can I carry today.
Prayer - Father help me carry pots of water to the strangers in my life. Help me to serve without regard to what is in it for us. Without measuring the results. Just SERVE!
