Reading from Genesis 24, we see the story of Isaac and Rebekah. As a young man, these love stories in the Bible are kinda exciting, I guess but there's more to LEARN from this than to be excited about this. I'm going to start off with the sharing of GOD's promise. GOD initially promised Abraham (Isaac's father) that he would be the father of many nations and that promise, by the very nature of it, extended to Isaac.
"He replied, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father's family." -Gen. 24:40
In this context, this is the reassurance of GOD that He had already paved a way for Isaac and had prepared a woman for him already. In the same way, GOD reassures us that, somewhere on this earth, He has prepared a spouse for us already. Though he/she may be distant and unknown to us at the moment (like Isaac in Hebron and Rebekah in Canaan) or someone that we know right now, GOD has someone set aside for us so we need not worry!
The next couple of things I want to go through has to do with the qualities/traits that a guy must seek in a woman and that a woman of GOD must seek to gain. Before reading through Genesis 24, I must admit that I thought the only instructions for a woman was located in Proverbs 31 but I was surprised that the details of a fitting woman would be found here too!
"Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful." -Gen. 24:21
When I first read this verse, GOD humored me a little by saying how creeper-like this is. BUT it's true. As a young man, I have to examine a "potential" very carefully and see if this is the one who GOD has brought into my life to stay. I have to examine a woman, watch how she interacts and get to know her better in order to know whether or not she is "the one". Just by watching how she interacts with her friends, family, acquaintances, etc., you can get a pretty good idea of the person she is.
"The girl was very beautiful, A VIRGIN; no man had ever lain with her." -Gen. 24:16
"'He is my master,' the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself." -Gen. 24:64
These two passages deal with purity. As a Christian young man, I do very well hope that I marry someone who has kept themselves pure and a virgin for me. BUT in doing so, I have to keep myself like that for her also. In the 2nd passage given about purity, Rebekah knew that she was going to marry Isaac but yet she veiled her face just as she was about to meet him. I do believe that we can apply this to dating. Though we (should) date for marriage, that doesn't mean that we let our purity slip away. It means that even though we might have been dating someone for years, engaged or about to get married, the purity HAS TO remain there 'til the marriage occurs. This purity isn't just sexual purity but also an emotional purity. For all the men out there, once girls get emotionally attached, they PHYSICALLY become attached as well and that's a necessary danger that we need to avoid.
"After she had given him a drink, she said, 'I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking.'" -Gen. 24:19
Very simply, this displays the kindhearted character that the woman must have. She must be willing to serve and to go BEYOND that. Obviously, in a marriage, the man and the woman both serve each other but this extends to outsiders too. I don't just want my spouse to be kind and nice towards me, I want her to be kindhearted overall! Speaking as an individual, it's really attractive when a girl is kindhearted even to people whom others may despise or those who might not be seen as easily befriendable.
"And she added, 'We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.'" -Gen. 24:25
This refers to her hospitable and generous traits. In this, Rebekah demonstrates it by inviting a complete stranger into her house (she lived with her family) because he needed a place to stay the night. In this, you should understand that they had a very different culture from the culture we have today so this is more acceptable than it seems to be right now. Back to the topic, this relates to the kindness and caring mentioned before.
"The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things." -Gen. 24:28
You might not see what's the importance in this but the woman has to have strong family support/ties. She needs to get along well with her family and hold them in a position of importance. Rebekah, upon the proposal of marriage, immediately ran to consult and tell her mother's WHOLE FAMILY. She didn't run to tell her friends first or whatnot but told her support first. If the woman doesn't get along well with her family or even respect them, how then can she run a family herself in the future?
"So she became his wife, and he loved her' and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." -Gen. 24:67
She needs to be able to comfort. Just as the neck supports the head, the woman supports the man in a marriage. Once Isaac and Rebekah said their vows to each other, she replaced his mother Sarah as the most important woman in his life. Obviously when Sarah died, there was a lot of grief but Rebekah, being the woman that GOD had placed in Isaac's life, was able to comfort him and SHARE this time of sadness with him.
"Laban and Bethuel answered, 'This is from the LORD.'" -Gen. 24:50
When you find that woman, GODLY people will approve of this as they see that it's from GOD. It's not just something that you realize GOD has put into your life but something that others realize that GOD has put into your life. As a part of the body of Christ, people are going to realize that there's something special that GOD has blessed the two of you with and that it is truly from GOD. The fact that other people can see it too is a reassurance but not the primary indicator. Two people shouldn't get married because people can see them together but they should get married because it is GOD's will. Like I said before, this approval is ONLY the reassurance.
Going back in a full circle to the beginning, GOD has someone prepared for each and every one of us (with exceptions of those who GOD knows have the ability to stay single for the rest of their lives) and we need not worry. All these traits are going to be found in my future wife and GOD has assured me of that. Where she is and what she's doing at this moment, I don't know but I trust that GOD is taking care of what will be mine.
"LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You GUARD all that is mine." -Psalm 16:5
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