I’m reading thru the bible this year with my church. So of course, we start in Genesis. The know-it-all part of me thinks, “I’m already familiar with Genesis; I’ve read it a bazillion times.” The can’t-wait-to-learn-something part of me jumps in with great anticipation.
One night, reading in Genesis 24, I find the familiar story of Abraham sending his servant to get a wife for Isaac. The character of this unnamed servant begins to take shape. As the chief servant in charge of everything in Abraham’s household, his entire purpose in life is to serve Abraham—he has no other agenda.
The supreme magnitude of this assignment requires the servant to swear an oath that he will follow Abraham’s instructions precisely. God shows his support for the assignment by sending his angel ahead of the servant on his journey.
When he arrives in the land of Abraham’s relatives, he prays, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.”
A simple, unselfish prayer from a devoted servant, “Give me success, but do it for my master Abraham.”
He doesn’t say, “Give me success so I’ll be named, Servant of the Year.” He fully recognizes that the journey isn’t about him. His heart, and thus his prayer, is for his master Abraham.
The Lord grants him success. No doubt, his proudest moment is coming home and presenting the bride to Isaac.
I start thinking about my own assignments, given by my Master. I’m in the middle of one right now. It would be totally appropriate to ask God to give me success on behalf of my Master.
Isn’t this what Jesus taught his disciples, “My Father will give you whatever you ask in my name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father”?
That night, my Genesis reading became a prayer, “Lord, give me success in my assignment, not for me, but on behalf of my Master Jesus.”
We’ve all been given assignments this year, and more await us.
A young mother can pray “Lord, give me success in my parenting today, not so that I’ll be Mother of the Year, but so that Christ will be honored through our family.”
Employees serving their companies can pray, “Lord, give me success today, not as a resume-builder, but so that Christ will be seen in and through my life.”
Believers suffering for their faith can pray, “Lord, give me success today, not so that my trials will end, but so that I may persevere for the sake of Your name and Your fame.”
May we all be like Abraham’s servant, with no agenda but to serve our Master.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you for sharing these encouraging words from Genesis. May we always remember that “whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction. . . ” Praise be to God for the encouragement from the Scriptures that are just as pertinent today as when they were written long ago and in a totally different culture.
What a great reminder for us to serve the Lord whole heartily everyday!
Thank you so much for pointing out this beautiful thought! Going to pray this prayer this morning!
I am thankful for your post I read this morning. It is a good reminder that even though I pray for help or healing that I still need to keep the focus on God. Your words put new light on how I should pray and live my life. Your post comes at a perfect time. In the coming weeks I’ll be working with a committee and the speaker of our women’s retreat taking place at the end of March. I want the women who come to be blessed, not for my sake, but on behalf of my Master Jesus. Thank you for pointing out this important lesson.
Thank you for sharing from this great passage!!! It changed the way I prayed today. Grateful!!!
Thank you for this today. Even though Abraham’s servant was sent on a “life event” task, his words speak to me in my daily tasks in which it becomes easier to forget their importance to my Master. He cares about the constant, daily tasks being done as well – for His sake – as the “life event” tasks. This is an encouragement, a blessing, and a re-focusing for me today.
So glad it was helpful to you Kelly. I feel the same way in the daily grind of tasks, but you’re right he does care. Thanks for sharing.
Annointing alert! Annointing alert!
Wow.
My prayers will change as of today. Thank you my sweet friend!
Just passing on what I learned from that humble servant whose only joy was to please his master.
And, you know what, there is a much greater and more pure joy that comes from serving our Master as opposed to serving ourselves. Getting the Servant of the Year award is fulfilling for a minute or two and then starts to look kind of shallow. It’a paradigm shift to go from asking for success for ourselves to asking for success so that our Master may be magnified. It reorders everything in our lives. Thank you for pointing out something huge that caught your eye because you were looking!
Now that you brought it up, we also need to pray hard that we will see the huge paradigm shifts that God asks us to make in all sorts of areas, like the paradoxes Jesus taught: if you want to find life you must die. If you want to be great you must be a servant. If you want to find rest, you must put on Jesus’ yoke and work. They’re everywhere and they’re counter-intuitive. We don’t see them naturally. They go against the prevailing wind. Thanks Richie.
I really appreciate your insights on this Janet. I have not been thinking correctly about success. I have been praying for God’s will regardless of success or not. But, seriously, He wants us to succeed and how many times may we have failed at something because He knows our motives for success were wrong. Our prayers for success should always include that God will be glorified and not us. Thank you, I really needed this because I am attempting some new things this new year, and the reason I want to succeed, is so that my Master will be glorified. The Word never fails to show us something new, right Janet?
thanks for sharing Vickie. It constantly amazes me how NEW and FRESH God’s Word is. It truly is living. Praying for your right now Vickie, that God will grant you success on behalf of your Master. Press on sister!
thanks Janet for sharing this wonderful revelation with us. It is not just being servants, but being servants who seek to glorify God. with this revelation, servant hood ceases to be a burden. I am indeed blessed. God bless you for pointing us towards this truth.
Hi Catherine, I love to pass on what God shows me because we’re all in this journey together. Press on dear one.