Tangible Evidence That Our Faith Is Real…

Do you ever pray specific, to the point, measurable prayers? When God answers them what do you do? Do you document them? Do you thank Him with heartfelt gratitude? Do you smile and then move on to your next request? I’m guilty of the later. Sometimes not even acknowledging it. But then sometimes when God does answer a specific, detailed prayer, I never forget it. I thank Him and make resolve to always tell others about it. We aren’t supposed to put God to the test, meaning demanding a sign just to prove He’s there. But we are to have an intimate relationship with Him. It’s why Jesus died, to open up the ability to commune with Him. If we don’t pray with detailed, specifics, how are we to ever know God is working in and through us? Abraham’s servant asked God specifically to have a woman come, give him a drink, then water his camels. When she did all these things, he realized she was the one he prayed for. Our prayer life is simple, it’s just not easy do with our complex pride. If we keep our prayers simple, asking specific, detailed requests, it’s easy to see the hand of God working in our lives. The purpose of the details is to reveal to us what we should already know. God answers prayers. It’s one of the ways to deepen our faith. The problem is not with God. The problem is with us. Start today. Start asking God specific, detailed prayers. He’s not afraid to grant your requests, for He knows what we need before we ask Him. Faith is made real through prayer. Specific answered prayer is tangible evidence that our faith is real. How do you respond to answered prayer?

1 Abraham was now a very old man, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2 One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. 3 Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. 4 Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”5 The servant asked, “But what if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from?”6 “No!” Abraham responded. “Be careful never to take my son there. 7 For the Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send His angel ahead of you, and He will see to it that you find a wife there for my son. 8 If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine. But under no circumstances are you to take my son there.”9 So the servant took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions. 10 Then he loaded ten of Abraham’s camels with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master, and he traveled to distant Aram-naharaim. There he went to the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled. 11 He made the camels kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening, and the women were coming out to draw water.12 “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. 13 See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. 14 This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’–let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master.”15 Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah. 16 Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. 17 Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.”18 “Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. 19 When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.21 The servant watched her in silence, wondering whether or not the Lord had given him success in his mission. 22 Then at last, when the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists.23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “And please tell me, would your father have any room to put us up for the night?”24 “I am the daughter of Bethuel,” she replied. “My grandparents are Nahor and Milcah. 25 Yes, we have plenty of straw and feed for the camels, and we have room for guests.”26 The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. 27 “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.” Genesis 24:1-27