In Gen. 2:18, “The LORD God said, It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a help (ezer) meet (or fit) for him.” Actually it is repetitive, so it would be (ezer – ezer) for him. One of the best definitions I have found for this ancient Hebrew word is, ‘Life-Saver.’ I was a life-guard and what is their function? They sit on a stand with a whistle and a buoy and watch the people in the water and wait for someone in distress and immediately rush to their aid and save their lives, by wrapping their arms around them and bringing them to safety at the peril of their own lives. They have one purpose, the safety of others, the protection of others, the life of another at the cost of their own life. When I put up my sign, “Lifeguard On Duty” you were safe to go in the water. Before that, you took your life in your own hands. My son Adam is a ‘Lifeguard’ and he has saved the life of another. The name ‘Eli-ezer’ means, “God’s Lifeguard.”

You say, “How did Abram, the Hebrew in Gen. 14:13-16 deliver Lot, his goods, the women and the people of Sodom with only 318 men from four kings, Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, and Tidal and their armies out of Damascus? Simple, Eli-ezer, Gen. 15:2 was from Damascus and he knew the way in and the way out and he became the heir of Abraham’s household, ‘God’s – Helper.’ So when Abraham was ready to arrange a marriage for his son Isaac, whom he left on Mt. Moriah, Gen. 22:19 after the ‘Akedah‘ the binding he called his most trusted servant, the heir of his household, ‘God’s – Lifeguard’ to go fetch her, Gen. 24 and made him put his hand under his thigh and swear an oath. Eli-ezer travels to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor and arrives in the evening at the well, at the time of watering, when the women come out to draw water v.11. You see it’s the woman’s job to draw water, men never carry water pots.

Eli-ezer stands and prays, Gen. 24:12-14, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray Thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master, Abraham.” Specific, pointed, determined prayer that’s what the servant of Abraham, Eli-ezer of Damascus used. We are not even sure it’s his God he is praying to at this point, we can assume it, but he never addresses Jehovah personally but only as the God of my master.  In v.14, he says, “Let it come to pass, that the damsel (na-arah – young woman) to whom I shall say, let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also; let her be the one whom Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac, and thereby shall I know that Thou has shown kindness unto my master.” Do you pray like that? Do you? Then how will you ever know if you are getting answers or not? Specific requests get specific answers and God gets the specific glory! All five Hebrew words for ‘Woman’ are found in this chapter for a reason, to clarify I believe Isaiah 7:14; Ish-ah-woman in contrast to man, v.5; Na-rah-young woman, v.14; Bethu-lah-young virgin woman, v.16; Al-mah-young virgin woman contracted in marriage, v.43; Bat-daughter, v.23. What happened between v.16 and v.43 Rebekah took the nose ring in v.22 and she was under contract.

Now, Rebekah comes to the well, here comes those specific answers vv.16-21; Rebekah was born to Bethuel, who was born to Nahor, Abraham’s brother; v.4, “go to my country, to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.” Does God answer specific, desperate, pointed, prayer? Ask Eli-ezer when you see him and you will see him. Then why don’t we pray that way? Because we are afraid to, He might not answer and then again He just might, v.26, “He bowed down his head and worshiped the LORD.” I get the feeling here that, Abraham’s LORD is Eli-ezer’s LORD, do you get that feeling too? Bowing is a form of worship, the word means to shrivel up, to bow low; he probably fell to his knees with his face to the ground; v.52 sheds more light on this verse, “he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.” Prayer is also a token of thanksgiving, he blesses God for His goodness to his master, v.27. I love this principle in v.27, “I being in the way the LORD led me, to the house of my master’s brethren.” The principle here is ‘Availability not Ability!’ Are you in the way for the LORD like Eliezer or are you in the way of the LORD like Judas? It makes a big difference! Do you hear His voice saying, “This is the way walk ye in it…” Isaiah 30:21? How would you know if Psalm 46:10 is not on your “To Do” list?

The place or posture of prayer is not as important as the spirit and attitude of prayer. In John 4:20-24 Yeshua/Jesus said, “His Father is seeking those to worship Him in spirit and in truth.” Eli-ezer stood to pray v.13, later he bowed to worship v.26, right next to the kneeling camels, next to a public well, in the busy evening when the women were drawing water, v.11. What a beautiful picture, can you see it? Close your eyes, now do you see it? What a beautiful principle, can you feel it? Do we bless God that quickly for answers to prayer, do we? Maybe that’s why we get so few answers? He’s still waiting for the ‘Thank You’ for the last one He gave you! How quick are you to continue to give to a thankless or unappreciative child? Have you thanked God for yesterday, today yet? In fact have you thanked Him for today, yet? Eli-ezer said, “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham.” v.27. He blesses God, (barak)  which means to kneel or bless God as an act of adoration, this is a servant! Do we bless God on a regular basis? King David did, read Psalm 103 and many others. This is one area that seems to be missing in our prayer lives, adoration to God, blessing God! Just try to spend 60 seconds ‘Adoring God!’ Not thanking Him for what He has done, but praising Him for Who or What, He is! We need to take the time to adore the One Who created us and swam out into our cesspool and drowned, to save us from drowning.

Eli-ezer goes on in v.27 in his prayer to God, “Who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master.” These are attributes and characteristics of God that can never be denied or diminished, NEVER! His mercy and His truth for all His children are only a prayer away. Eli-ezer was a prayerful servant, just like his master Abraham and his prayer life was specific, definite and precise and God answered it specifically, definitely and precisely. Therefore, he could do nothing else except fall on his knees and worship the LORD his God and cry out as we should, “Blessed art Thou, O LORD, our God, Creator of heaven and earth. Hallowed be Thy name, above every name in heaven, on earth and under the earth. Help us O God, to pray specifically, so that we would have great cause to worship and adore You specifically. Your mercy and Your truth are great and beyond all human understanding. You are the God of mercy and You are the God of truth, blessed be Thy holy name, O God.” Amen & Amen!       “Between The Lines”

“Portraits of Prayer in Genesis”  ‘Eliezer – God’s Helper’