Rebekah at the Well

Get ready for a long journey, ten thirsty camels, and one very kind young woman.

Abraham was very old, and God had blessed him in every way. His son Isaac was all grown up now, and Abraham wanted to find him a good wife. So he gave his most trusted servant a very important job. He was to travel to the faraway land where Abraham's family lived, and find a wife for Isaac there. Abraham told him not to worry. God would go ahead of him and lead the way.

So the servant loaded ten camels with presents and supplies, and off he went. Clomp, clomp, clomp. Day after day, the camels plodded along, over hills and across hot, dusty land. At last, one evening, they came to a well outside the town where Abraham's family lived. The servant made the camels kneel down to rest. They were tired, and very, very thirsty.

It was the time of day when the young women came out to fill their water jars. Then the servant did the very best thing. He prayed. He said, "Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham." He asked God for a sign. He would ask a young woman for a drink, and if she was the one God had chosen, she would say, "Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink."

And before he had even finished praying, a young woman came out, with a water jar on her shoulder. Her name was Rebekah. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came back up. The servant ran to meet her and said, "Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher." "Drink, my lord," she said, and she quickly lowered her jar so he could drink.

Then she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking."

Now, do you know how much a thirsty camel can drink? About enough to fill a bathtub! And there were ten camels! But Rebekah didn't mind. She hurried back and forth, back and forth, pouring water into the trough, until every single camel had finished drinking. Nobody made her do it. She chose to be kind, and she did much more than she was asked.

The servant watched her quietly, wondering. Was this God's answer to his prayer? When the camels were done, he gave Rebekah a gold ring and two gold bracelets. Then he asked who her father was, and if there was room at his house for them to stay. Rebekah told him her family's name. And guess what? She was part of Abraham's own family!

She said there was plenty of straw and food for the camels, and a room for him too. The servant bowed his head and worshiped God. He said, "The Lord has led me on the way to the house of my master's relatives."

Rebekah ran home to tell her family, and her brother Laban hurried out to welcome the servant inside. The servant told them the whole story, even his prayer at the well. Rebekah's family could see that God had planned it all. The next morning, they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?"

And Rebekah said, "I will go."

So Rebekah climbed onto a camel, and off they went, all the long way back. One evening, Isaac was out in a field, thinking quietly. He looked up and saw camels coming. Rebekah saw him too, and got down from her camel. Isaac and Rebekah were married, and Isaac loved her very much.

He had been sad since his mother died, and now, at last, his heart was comforted.

This story teaches us to be kind to everyone, even strangers, and even thirsty animals.

When we do more than we're asked, with a happy heart, God sees every bit of it.