Ever notice when we are believing for something that only God can do He always answers in ways we never thought possible? We pray, we read His Word, we take communion or we fast, and then we wait. While we’re waiting on an answer, we’re just going through the motions day after day, until suddenly, God shows up. And then, boom! The miracle in motion that is taking place while we were going through the motions happens, and all we can do is marvel and wonder at how God brought about the miracle by using the right person in the right place at the right time. 

In Genesis chapter 24 we read a story about a miracle in motion as we find Abraham instructing one of his servants to go and find a bride for his son, Isaac, to marry. Along with a group of men, ten camels, and many valuable gifts, Abraham’s servant stops to rest at a well for a while as the camels need to recover from the long journey. It was almost dusk and this was the time all of the women came to the well to draw water. 

The servant prays, “O Eternal One, God of my master Abraham, please make me successful today and show Your loyal love to my master Abraham. You see that I am standing here by the spring as the young women of the city are coming out to draw water. Let the girl whom I say, “Please dip your jar in the water that I may drink, and who will reply, “Drink, and I will draw water for your camels” – let her be the one You have chosen to be a wife for Your servant Isaac. When You do this, I will know of Your loyal love for my master.” [Genesis 24: 11-14] 

Well, that’s a very specific prayer! However, the miracle is in motion as a beautiful girl approaches the well. Her name is Rebekah, and she’s just going through the motions of her day, drawing from the well, and filling her water jar as she had probably done a thousand times before. Nothing spectacular or mind-blowing about someone drawing water from a well and filling a water jar, right? 

But this day was going to be different than every other day Rebekah had filled her jar with water because God was setting a miracle in motion and was about to change Rebekah’s life forever. Abraham’s servant runs to meet her, “Please let me have a little water to drink from your jar.” And the girl says, “Drink my lord.” But then, she offers to do more and says, “I’ll draw some water for your camels too, I’ll make sure they drink all they need.” The servant suddenly realises this is the one that Isaac will marry and he bows his head and worships the Eternal One, thanking Him for His love and faithfulness. And the rest of the story, as the saying goes, is history. 

Right person, right place, right time, that’s how a miracle in motion happens. Rebekah decided to offer more to this stranger than what he had asked for which revealed she had a heart of compassion, of caring, of seeing others’ need higher than her own needs. Basically, a servant’s heart.

So, what can we learn from this story? How can we see a miracle in motion happen in our own lives? Here are three things that set a miracle in motion…

1.         Right Person.

Before the meeting at the well, the servant prayed for the right person to come along. Who are the strangers you come across as you go through the motions of your day-to-day life? Perhaps these people are being placed in your path by God for a purpose. From the checkout operator to the person sitting next to you on the bus they could be part of the answer to your prayer. Our faith is activated when we pray “Lord, whoever comes across my path today as I go through the motions, let me be ready and willing to see You working through these encounters.” 

2.         Right Place. 

Now, this isn’t a ticket to burning yourself out by doing everything. Rebekah offered to draw water for the ten camels because that was her servant’s heart. ‘She continued to draw water until all of the camels had drunk their fill.’ [Genesis 24: 20] God never called us to run ourselves ragged by doing more than we need to. Offering to do more than expected comes when we are living within the parameters of the grace of God. It’s like an energy we tap into when we are serving within our gifts and talents that God has given to us. Grace and strength come and the task at hand is done with ease and purpose if we serve from our gifting.

3.         Right Time. 

Did you know that one camel can drink up to 20 gallons of water simultaneously? Imagine watering ten camels until they’re all hydrated! Certainly, it would have taken a long time for Rebekah to keep lowering her jar into the well and then filling it with water to give all ten camels a drink. Thirsty work indeed! But it says in the text, ‘The man gazed at her in silence, waiting and wondering if she was the one the Eternal One intended for Isaac, the one who would make his journey a success.’ [Genesis 24: 21] When it’s the right time for our miracle to come to pass, I believe God is watching us go through the motions of our day. I feel He gazes at us in silence, waiting and wondering if we are the ones whose faith lets him know that whatever and whoever is put in front of us we will serve with a willing heart regardless of wanting anything in return.

Rebekah never negotiates with the servant. She never says, “Well, I‘ve watered all your camels. What’s in it for me?” No, she just shows her servant’s heart by putting her hand up to the situation that has presented itself to her, not knowing her willingness to help was the miracle that was prayed for, and she becomes part of the family of Abraham. 

To set a miracle in motion we need the right person, the right place, and the right time to all come into alinement. Offering to water ten camels in the natural sense didn’t look like a miracle at all. It wasn’t exactly a ‘wow’ moment where you’d think, “Boy, I’m gonna be in for a blessing after I’ve watered all these camels.” No, the camels were just the test. The miracle comes when the supernatural power of God connects to a servant’s heart. The one who just puts their hand up regardless of getting anything in return, this is the one who God gazes upon, waiting and watching them go through the motions to set His miracle in motion!

Wendy xo 

When have you gone through the motions within your day and found it was the moment when a miracle took place?

I pray today, that we will see You Lord doing a miracle in motion within all our seemingly mundane tasks. Help us to serve in Your grace so ease comes and not burnout as we lead with a servant’s heart, just as You did with Your disciples. Amen.