Secret Treasures for the Girl with the Servant’s Heart
Gail Casteen

It often takes a Bible story to remind me how God has surprised me with His blessings.

It often takes a Bible story to remind me how God has surprised me with His blessings in the most unusual ways. There were times in my past when I complained that when I chose to go the second mile, I did not get so much as a "thanks" pointed in my direction. Most of the time a simple thank-you would have been more than adequate payment.

Then the change came. God began to give me a love for people right where they were -- hurt, angry, hungry, dirty, stressed, in deep despair, on top of the world, silly with excitement, and arrogant (those were the tough ones). All it took was a look at my own plump, apple-cheeked infant son to feel love well up inside of me for an individual. No matter the position in life, God showed me that each person was once somebody’s baby.

Going the second mile became more of an act of love than one of making myself feel better. It became fun to extend a compliment to the harried grocery store check-out clerk, to hold the door open for someone who could have done it for themselves, or to tell a new mom how beautiful her baby was and how cool it is to have kids. God had poured His Son’s life into encouraging and loving me; it became the least I could do for others.

The Bible story that caused me to see the blessings I’d received is in Genesis 24. Abraham sent his servant to his home country to bring back a bride for Isaac. He wasn’t as confident as Abraham. "What if she’s not willing to come back, should I come get your son and take him back there?" In essence, Abraham said, "No way, you are not to take my son out of this land God promised me. If she refuses to return with you, I release you from your promise to bring her back."

When I was little, I remember wondering how God could get a young girl to stop what she was doing and water a bunch of thirsty camels. My chore list was pretty hefty and when I was asked to water a kennel full of big dogs, it was definitely a burden. But the dogs were always delighted to see me. They would just about push me over to get me to pet them, to say nothing of getting to fresh water.

Here is Abraham’s servant with ten thirsty camels. (Do you know a camel can drink about 21 gallons of water?) And he’s pretty thirsty himself. Being the faithful servant he is, he stops to ask the God of Abraham, Isaac (and Jacob someday), "Give me success, show kindness to Abraham and give me a sign that cannot be denied. When I ask for water for myself, if this is THE girl, let her say, ‘No problem, and I’ll get the camels, too." (Personal paraphrasing here.) Can God actually cause someone to say and do exactly what needs to be said and done to fulfill a sign? He must, because that is precisely what young Rebekah did.

She did not realize as she was hauling around those 200-plus gallons of water and risking having those beasts spit on her, that they were carrying treasure intended for her. Those very camels would soon carry her to the adventure of her life.

She had a willing spirit not only to give water to a thirsty stranger and his entire caravan, but she was willing to leave homeland, family and friends to go to a country far away to marry a man she’d never seen. That marvelous servant’s heart and her willing spirit placed her solidly in the lineage of our precious Jesus. We know her name and her history. We are directly tied to her life because she was part of perpetuating the family that gave us our Older Brother who introduced us to Our Father. Can it get any better than that?

My prayer is this: "God plant in me a ‘Rebekah spirit’ that sees a need and does all she can to be a servant and a blessing. Let my heart be free enough in You to remember that I already have received my Treasure and I need nothing more. Let me serve with joy, great love and deep compassion those you bring to me. Lord be honored so those in need may encounter the greatest Treasure of all."

Now, off to find camels to water!

cbn