What Eliezer Learned at the Well

In Genesis 24, Abraham charges, his chief steward, Eliezer, to depart out of Canaan and go to the city of Nehor to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Together with Abraham’s charge, Eliezer also received this promise,

“...he [God] shall send his angel before thee...”

Once inside the city, Eliezer prayed,

“...O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day…”

When Rebekah came to the well, Eliezer asked if she would give him some water. Her positive reply that she would give him AND his ten camels water showed Eliezer that the Lord had guided him to the right person for Isaac, just as Abraham had promised…

And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham… I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”

Can you see a spiritual pattern here?

1. Eliezer received an inspired assignment

2. He trusted and asked God for guidance on how to accomplish it

3. He did his best in faith

4. With the Lord‘s help, he accomplished the errand

5. He expressed sincere gratitude to the Lord

This is a divine pattern we can also follow. (See Isaiah 45:2,3; 1 Nephi 3:7; D&C 84:88)

In the fall of 2019, responding to an impression, I invited a friend from work to attend a special Hispanic cultural presentation at the Conference Center called “Light of the Nations”.

On the night of the performance, Shirleen and I met my friend, his wife, and their youngest son outside the Conference Center and hurried into the building because it was filling rapidly. We were seated in one of the last available sections in the upper balcony.

The show was spectacular! My friend leaned over at one point to tell me how grateful he was that we had invited them to come. It reminded him so much of the music and dancing he had enjoyed as a boy. Throughout the performance, there were brief pre-recorded messages and testimonies shared in Spanish. Near the end, President Nelson shared a message in Spanish which brought a beautiful spirit to the auditorium.

I prayed silently, thanking Heavenly Father for this wonderful experience, but also asking Him what I should do next to help my friend and his family take more steps toward the covenant path? The specific concern I shared with Heavenly Father was, how could we maintain a close connection with my friend and his family when there was so much physical distance between our homes, as well as differences in our ages?

As the performance concluded, this concern continued with me as we began the slow process of exiting the conference center….along with thousands more. We patiently moved toward the escalator which was a large bottleneck. We did our best to stay grouped with our friends, but with so large a crowd it was a challenge.

Just as we were about to get on the escalator, I heard my friend happily shout a greeting. I looked over, startled, and saw he and his family had pulled out of the group of people aiming for the escalator to talk to some other people I did not know.

When Shirleen and I got over to them, they introduced us to their neighbors…whose son was their son’s best friend! We spent the next several minutes getting to know them before we all re-entered the crowd and made the descent on the escalator.

What an amazing coincidence…

…that in this overflowing crowd of 20,000+ people…

…they would literally bump into their good friends.

But, as Eliezer could tell us, this was no coincidence. It was a direct answer to a prayer.

I pictured Heavenly Father smiling at me saying,

“Be at peace. Act in faith. Then, watch… and see how I do My work.”

I realized my friend and his family are in God’s hands, not mine.

This and so many other experiences in my life have demonstrated to me that the Lord is always working with His children in His way according to our unique needs; according to our unique time.

Our part, like Eliezer’s, is to faithfully seek His guidance and walk “in the way” of the Lord. He will “send his angel before” us.

Eliezer was taught this lesson thousands of years ago….

It is still true!

I have no doubt!

I stand all amazed!

President Gardner