Servant Series Part 2: Servant Authority
Genesis 24:10-28
10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand… (KJV)
12 The servant said, “Lord, you are the God of my master Abraham. Please show your kindness to my master by helping me find a wife for his son Isaac. (ERV)
13 Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” (NKJV)
I, Karen, just had to revisit the story of Abraham’s servant. There is so much to be gleaned from this man’s life and applied to our lives as servant’s of God and people who serve others.
This unnamed servant prayed this heartfelt prayer for the desire of his master to be fulfilled. You could say that he prayed in Abraham’s name. He called upon God based on the relationship Abraham had with God, and he petitioned God for Abraham’s will to be accomplished. Does that sound familiar? “And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).
As Christians, we are given the authority to ask in Jesus’ name just as this servant had been given authority to ask in Abraham’s name, with God and with Abraham’s relatives. This man knew he had the authority to make this request because it had been given to him by his master. He also knew the authority given was in order to carry out the will of his master. He did not ask according to his will but the will of Abraham.
On occasion, I have been entrusted with somone’s credit card, signed blank-checks, or power of attorney. I have been given the authority to use them for the express purpose of carrying out that person’s business on their behalf. I consider such a thing a sacred trust. I would not dare use it for anything other than what pertained to their business and in accordance with their will. I don’t always have the time to discuss a given scenario with that person but may find myself needing to act on their behalf. I can’t possibly know what that person would want without having relationship with them and spending extended time with them.
Well, Jesus hasn’t given me my own “credit card” in my name to do with what I will; He has given me His “credit card” in His name to use for His will, and that card is actually His name. I don’t know if that impacts you like it does me. It’s a sobering honor to be entrusted with His name, and it’s a role that allows and requires a special intimacy with Him. Unlike another human being, not only can I have a close relationship with Jesus, I can be in union with Him. In order for me to know the will of Jesus as if I were Him, I have to be in union with Him. “If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). When can I ask what I wish? When I constantly abide in Him.
I’ll stop there and we will look at more from this passage next time.
If you missed the first Servant Series post, you can read it by clicking here.