Abraham’s servant prepared carefully for this journey. He would be traveling about 450 miles in a time when there were no buses or airplanes. He took ten of his master’s camels and loaded them with supplies (food, clothes, water, bedding) for himself and the girl he hoped to be bringing back with him. He also loaded generous gifts for the girl and her family. And, of course, he needed a camel on which to ride, as well as one for Isaac’s bride to ride. This journey would last at least six weeks, there and back. Camels can survive for long periods of time without food or water. They can easily carry an extra 200 pounds and walk about 20 miles a day through the harsh desert climate.
Now let’s see what Abraham’s servant did upon his arrival in this distant land of Nahor. We will continue reading in Genesis 24:
11He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water. 12Then he prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
First, we see that the servant went to a place where he was likely to meet young ladies. It seems that many Bible characters found their wives at wells (Genesis 29:9-12; Exodus 2:15-17) Young men today probably won’t be going to a well to look for a wife, but they would be wise to look in a place where godly young women can be found. Of course, the most likely place to find Christian young people would be at church or at church functions, like youth meetings. Many these days meet their mates at school or in a work environment. However, the main thing we can see from this passage is that the servant prayed for God’s guidance.
Some people may think that God is not concerned about whom a person marries; however, as we will see, God is very interested and will honor a sincere prayer for guidance. Parents and grandparents should pray for their children to find godly mates; and the young people themselves should pray for His help regarding this very important decision. This does not mean that a person finds someone, then prays for God to give that person to him/her. This is running ahead of God. Young people should pray for God to guide them in making a wise choice as they begin their search. When they’re considering someone, they should stay close to God and follow His guidance. When a person – whose mind is centered on God’s will – finds a good person for marriage, God provides peace in the heart for the one pursuing spiritual discernment.