When God made all those promises to Abraham in Genesis 13, Abraham probably wondered where and how he would see the fulfillment.
Would they come soon? Would they come late? Would he even get to see them himself?
Certainly some of them had implications farther down the road. The idea of “all nations being blessed” by Abraham isn’t really based on a timeline, so Abraham probably thought those would develop over time.
One of them had already been fulfilled right in front of him: the birth of Isaac.
Despite languishing for years and wondering when God would fulfill this great promise to him — and a minor moment of crisis that resulted in Ishmael – Isaac was eventually born. Sarah laughed at the thought of her giving birth in her older age. After he was born, she invited everyone to laugh with her (Genesis 21:6).
One thing that nobody really talks about is the what the people around Abraham thought about these promises. Certainly they saw his wealth improve. Could that be by the hand of God?
Late in life, Abraham dispatches his servant to find a wife for Isaac. After a beautiful prayer in Genesis 24:12-14 where he asks for God’s help, the servant looks up just in time to see Rebekah walk towards him. To a “T,” she fulfills the signs that the servant asked from God to help him find the one.
Without a doubt, this will be Isaac’s wife.
We don’t know anything about this servant. We don’t know what his name was, what his specific role was in Abraham’s house, or even what his relationship with Abraham was like.
What we do know is that he was there to witness the promises of God come true. What a sight that must have been.
He acknowledges this to God in Genesis 24:26. He “worships” God, then praises Him for showing kindness to Abraham. In the same breath, he praises God for His faithfulness.
The servant also can’t help but acknowledge his own blessing: “As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
I don’t know much about Israelite topography, but I am 99% sure that the servant would not have found Rebekah on his own. The area was too vast, the people too numerous, and the absence of GPS too profound.
I would argue that the only way the servant found Rebekah was because God had helped him on his journey. And the servant did the right thing by acknowledging it.
I’ve been witness to some amazing events in my life. A lot of these have come as the result of an answered prayer — whether for health, blessings, wisdom, or something else.
Sometimes, the fulfillment is years down the road.
Sometimes, the fulfillment is for someone else entirely.
But no matter the view, seeing God’s mercy and blessings in action is a profound thing to witness. We should all ask God to help us recognize times like these, and thank Him when they appear right in front of our eyes.