We Pray, He Prepares

Yael Eckstein  |  November 3, 2026

Isaac stands in the field as the daylight leaves.
The ground still holds the day’s warmth, even as shadows settle into the furrows of the earth.
The wind moves, bending the grass.
Isaac’s mouth moves, too. His words come in soft breaths. His words come from within.
He stands there praying, in that moment between day and night.

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Far down the road, the camels begin to move, slowly. Rebekah walks beside them.
The jars had been emptied and filled, again and again, water poured until the last of the camels had been satisfied.
Now the road stretches before them. Dust gathers at the hem of her garment. The plodding of hooves follows behind, steady and unbroken.
Rebekah doesn’t know where the road will end, but on she goes.

Genesis 24:63

He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.

Today, I’d like to talk about Rebekah and Isaac. The story of how Rebekah becomes Isaac’s wife is one of the most beautiful and revealing love stories in the Bible. And what’s so striking is the test used to find her. It wasn’t a test of theology or prayer or even lineage. Instead, the servant was told to look for a woman who would show extraordinary hospitality—someone who would not only offer water to a stranger, but would willingly draw water again and again for his camels.

Now, camels drink a lot of water. So Rebekah’s kindness wasn’t convenient; it was costly. But it was generous, and it reflected the very heart of Abraham, a man whose tent was always open and whose compassion defined his walk with God.

And while Rebekah was faithfully living out the values of hospitality and kindness, Isaac was doing something just as important.

Today’s Bible verse tells us that Isaac went out into the field in the evening to meditate. Jewish tradition teaches that Isaac was praying—that in that quiet field, he established the afternoon prayer still prayed by Jewish people today, called Mincha, which means “offering.”

This is a prayer prayed in the middle of it all—when work is unfinished, when answers haven’t yet arrived. It’s a prayer that says, “God, I offer You my time. I offer You my future. I trust You with what I cannot yet see.”

Isaac didn’t have a prayer book. He didn’t know how the story would end. He simply lifted his heart to God.

And while Isaac prayed from the field, God was already answering—camels were on their way, carrying the woman who would help him continue the covenant of Abraham and Sarah.

As we pray, God prepares. As we trust, He moves.

Like Rebekah, we’re called to live lives of compassion and generosity. And like Isaac, we are invited to pause, lift our hearts to Heaven, and trust that our Father is guiding us, every step of the way.

One More Moment

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