Answered Prayers

He [Abraham’s servant] said,

“O Lord, the God of my master Abraham,

please grant me success today,

and show lovingkindness

to my master Abraham.”

Genesis 24:12

God answers our prayers. He sometimes answers our prayers before we are even through praying. Abraham sent his servant out to find a wife for Isaac, but not just any wife, God’s choice wife. Abraham’s servant prayed for the Lord’s guidance. Before he had finished speaking in his heart, God sent Rebekah, the woman who was to be Isaac’s wife.

We have asked our youngest child many times if she would like to pray and have had her respond, “I prayed to God in my heart.” It amazed her when she learned that God could hear her heart.

In 1 Samuel 1:13 we read of Hannah in the temple praying, and “she was speaking in her heart.”

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:6, “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

I believe this inner room, this secret place, is our heart.

These words of Christ are relevant even to those who are praying out loud. Anytime we pray, whether in silence or out loud, so that others might share in our prayer, we need to first go into our “inner room,” our heart. We can say beautiful, fluent words out loud for others to hear, but God hears what is in our hearts.

How many times have we been a hypocrite in our public prayers, praying words we did not really believe God would hear or asking for help that we really did not expect God to give? Oh, precious one, might the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in God’s sight (Psalm 19:14).

The desire of Abraham’s servant was to please his master. His prayer was offered from a sincere heart. His prayer was offered in sure expectation that God would hear and answer. When Abraham’s servant understood that God had immediately and obviously answered his prayer he bowed before God and worshiped. When we get such immediate responses to the cries of our heart, are we as quick to bow down before our God?

 “Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplication. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him” (Psalm 28:6–7).

May we never forget to give God all the glory for our answered prayers. May we not for one minute think that our answer came out of any ability of our own. Let us not give credit to chance or coincidence. Let us not boast in luck. Let us know that it was our God and give Him His praise.

We cannot leave this chapter without taking one more look at our hearts. Let us ask, how are our hearts in response to a call from God? The servant shares his answered prayer with Rebekah and with her family, who just so happened to be relatives of Abraham. Rebekah doesn’t look at the servant of Abraham and say, “Let me pray about it, and I’ll get back to you on that.” She is quick to respond to this opportunity with obedience and goes with the servant to meet the man who will be her husband.

How many times have you asked God for a sign to confirm something that he was speaking to your heart? How many times have you then asked for a sign to confirm the sign? May our hearts be more like the example that Rebekah gives us here. The signs were clear, and she did not hesitate. When we hear our God call, may we say, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

Oh Father,

How deserving You are of our worship. I thank You for Your guidance. I thank You for Your provisions. I thank You for Your faithfulness. How great You are, my God. You are worthy of all my praise. I bow before You, for I know that You hear all, see all, and know all. My heart is open and laid bare before You. Oh Father, may the prayers of my mouth come from the prayers of my heart. May I never wait to give You the glory for the prayers You answer. May I learn to respond with ready obedience to every opportunity that You have placed before me.

My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.