What is love?

 

"See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 John 3:1)

 

Love, so often we want it, but so seldom do we really, truly focus on what it is.  We love BECAUSE He first loved us.

 

Love is not a feeling. Happiness is a feeling.

Love is not an emotion. Anger is an emotion.

Love is not a "state". Confusion is a state. (So is Delaware, the first state in fact, but I digress.)

While love can have all of these expressions associated with it, it is still more - so much more. Love is a decision.

What we are formed by and immersed in so often, though, is the worldly interpretations and definitions of love, which are often short-sighted and self-directed.

The world says that "love is blind". The truth, however, is that LOVE sees 20/20. It sees our imperfections, our sin and our failings - all of our humanity, and says, "I still choose to love you."

The world says that "love means never having to say you are sorry". That's a crock. You want the truth? Ask a married couple. They'll tell you, "Love means having to say you are sorry A LOT."

The world says that "love is give and take". They're half right. Love is GIVE. The "and take" is often added out of fear. Fear that the other is not going to offer love back, fear that the other will take advantage and manipulate and fear that we'll be left with nothing in return. There's nothing "and take" about the cross. The Lord gives us Salvation and we don't even "take" that - we receive it.

The world says that "love is priceless". Not true. Love carries a price tag, a heavy one, and He picked up the tab, for you and for me. We never could have flipped that bill, but Jesus paid the price.

The world also tells us that "love doesn't come in a box". Yes it does. Love dwells in the "box" in every church, in the Tabernacle where love dwells in the flesh, for you and I to adore.

The world tells us that "love doesn't grow on trees". Yes it does. Love GREW out of a tree on Calvary that day. The tree of love was planted on stony ground (our hearts) and the roots (Jesus' blood) ran deep below the earth, crushing sin and ushering in LIFE.

Pray this verse today, really pray it. Recite it and learn it and know it, for "we love BECAUSE He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

I once read, "A bell's not a bell until you ring it. A song's not a song until you sing it. Love in your heart is not put there to stay. Love isn't love until you give it away."

The Christian knows where to find love in the midst of a world that does not Offer love today, in its purest form, and you will wake up tomorrow more like God, who is love.

Decide to love. Seek love. Without it you're not really living, only breathing.

LIFETEEN by Mark Hart © 2006. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).

How to Treat One Another

Jesus explained the basis for strong relationships: He said that in everything, we should treat others the way we want to be treated.

 

When you think about your friends, relatives, and associates, do you see any of the following characteristics of a strong relationship?
 - Enjoyment and satisfaction.
 - Loyalty.
 - Genuine concern for the other person's welfare.  
 - Truthfulness.
 - Prayer support.
 - A desire for the best for the other person.
 - Protection of each other from emotional, physical, or spiritual harm.
 - Forgiveness.
 - Encouragement.
 - Support.
 - Generosity.
 - Respect and honor.
 - Acceptance of the other person for who he or she is.

Most of us would have to say we don't have all of these characteristics in every relationship. But is there a single quality that you would not want someone to display toward you? Do you have relationship problems in your marriage? With your children? With your employer or employees? At church or in your neighborhood?

Jesus made the solution clear. It is a command that we treat others as we want to be treated. It takes work and prayer, but God always gives us the resources to be obedient.

Are you willing to work at building strong relationships? Remember that Jesus commanded it, and therefore obedience is not optional. Ask God to give you the patience and wisdom you'll need to mend or strengthen the relationships in your life.

In Touch Daily Devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley © 2004. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).

Let Go of the Past to Move into the Future

 

You can't drive life's road without sometimes hitting bumps like regrets, disappointments, and tragedies. When you do, it's easy to get stuck there, gazing back into your rearview mirror at the past.

But God wants you to move on toward the future He has planned for you. It's a future filled with hope – but to get there, you've got to turn your focus forward and look through the windshield at the road ahead.

Here's how you can let go of the past to move into the future:

* Realize that you have a choice. Understand that you're not a victim of your circumstances and that no one but yourself can tie you to the past; you can decide whether or not to move on. Ask God for the courage to choose to break free of whatever is chaining you to the past.

* Know Who travels with you. Remember that God is right beside your side all the time. Trust in His unsurpassed power, wisdom, and love when He urges you to keep going into the future. Don't linger in any place God is calling you to leave. Be willing to put your own agenda aside to follow wherever God leads you.

* Recognize the difference between learning from the past and letting it control you. Understand that it's healthy to look back as long as you're learning from your past and remembering how God has worked in your life. But beware of becoming so preoccupied with your past that it begins to dictate your present and future. Don't let your past define you; that's God's job.

* Seek deliverance from parts of your past you're struggling to let go. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you mentally take those past experiences and lay them in trust at the foot of the cross for Jesus to handle. Acknowledge that holding onto the past is sin because it keeps you from obeying God's call to move on. Repent of making the past an idol in your life. Make whatever changes you need to make in your life to reinforce your decision, such as discarding past possessions. Surround yourself with people who support your decision to move on. Seek God with all your heart and be excited about His plans for you. Read and meditate on Scripture as a new perspective gradually emerges for you.

* Avoid nostalgia. Don't be duped into thinking that your best days are behind you. Expect God to continue to bless you in new ways. Recognize that your success is not dependent on any special time or place that can never be captured again. Know that the same God who was with you back in the past is with you now and will continue to be. Don't rest on your laurels or become intimidated by your past successes; keep active and contributing to the world as He leads you. Trust God to bring you encore success and joy.

* Seek healing for a broken heart. Know that God understands and feels the pain of your heartbreak over a broken relationship with someone you'd loved. Understand that, no matter what happened to wrest your loved one from you, God can transform your pain into positive growth for you. Realize that everything that happens to you plays a part in God's greater purposes for your life. Give up trying to change the past; it's futile. Instead, ask God to help you learn to trust His sovereignty in your relationships. Don't waste time and energy trying to numb a broken heart with drugs or alcohol, denying your feelings, starting a "rebound" relationship, or trying to distract yourself with busyness. Know that God wants to heal you. Pursue healing by repenting of any sin that was involved in your lost relationship, carrying your feelings and shattered dreams to God, saturating your soul with Scripture, and being patient as He gently guides you through the healing process. Trust God to bring something good out of your pain. Understand that God brings some people into your life briefly for a specific reason, some for a longer season, and some to stay your whole life. Ask Him to help you discern which people are which, and to recognize when it's the right time for some people to make their exits. Remember that, while some people may leave you, God never will.

* Overcome failure. Ask God to help you move past two obstacles that stand in your way after you've experienced failure: the consequences of your actions; and your inner sense of condemnation, guilt, regret, and self-inflicted punishment. Take your failure to God and allow Him to restore your strength, hope and confidence. Honestly pour out all your thoughts and feelings about the failure to God. Ask Him to teach you what He wants you to learn from your failure. Accept God's forgiveness, and forgive yourself.

* Break free of trauma's chains. In prayer, freely express the anger, fear, disillusionment, mistakes, and regrets that have resulted from a past trauma in your life. Ask God to direct you to Scripture passages that relate to that trauma, and to use those passages as a surgeon would a scalpel to bring about the healing you need. Don't blame God for your trauma; realize that it was the result of living in a sinful, fallen world. Invite Jesus into your pain, realizing that He is the ultimate answer to your problem. Ask Jesus to give you new hope and restore your sense of purpose.

* Get rid of the poison of bitterness. Realize that holding onto bitterness after someone has hurt you will only continue to hurt you more by poisoning your soul. Know that there is only one antidote to that poison – forgiveness. Decide not to allow people who have wronged you to keep controlling your life and distancing you from God. Remember all that God has forgiven you for, and let your gratitude and love for Him motivate you to obey His command to forgive others. Always be willing to forgive, even when people repeatedly offend you, don't ask for your forgiveness, refuse to reconcile, or are deceased. Understand that forgiveness doesn't depend on what you consider fair, reasonable, or just – it's a matter of being faithful to God. Don't wait until you feel like forgiving someone; you probably never will. Instead, decide to do so and trust God to help you. Expect God to clear bitterness out of your life as you forgive.

* Let go of unhealthy attachments. Don't waste time and energy trying to hold onto someone or something from the past if that person or thing doesn't have a place in your present or future. Accept reality when you can't bring back a marriage, job, child, church, reputation, or anything else you're trying to resurrect. Realize that it – whatever it happens to be – is truly over. Refuse to wallow in sorrow over something you can't do anything about. Get up, return to life as normal, worship God, and ask Him to help you enjoy life again. Trust God to give you new beginnings filled with promise.

* Rely on God's strength to get you through stormy crossings. Expect a struggle every time you try to move beyond your past and cross over into your future. Don't let challenges take you by surprise; instead, use them as tools to grow closer to God. Don't give up; ask God for the courage and strength you need to keep going. Ask Him to teach you whatever He'd like you to learn from your crossings. Invite God to strengthen your character and renew your mind so you can become the person He wants you to become. Ask God to show you a side of Himself you've never seen when you make each crossing.

* Encourage others. Realize that your experiences in life aren't just for your own benefit – they're also designed to help other people. Use what you've learned about moving on to encourage others to do the same.

* Fulfill your potential. Remember that your past doesn't determine your future. Invite God to help you understand His purposes for your life and give you a vision for the new adventures He has in store for you. Realize that your greatest potential can only be realized in and through Jesus. Ask Him to help you fulfill His highest potential for you. Step boldly into your future!

Adapted from The Windshield is Bigger than the Rearview Mirror: Changing Your Focus from Past to Promise by Jeff Wickwire © 2006. All rights reserved. Jeff Wickwire has served as a prison minister, youth pastor, college and career director, radio evangelist, and for more than two decades, senior pastor currently of Turning Point Fellowship in Fort Worth, Tex. or personal prayer and counsel. (Please include this line to forward the message).

Falling In Love Twice

 

Can you fall in love twice?  "Absolutely!"  Kim and Krickett Carpenter would tell you. Krickett would say, "Yes! I did. It happened to me." Kim never stopped loving his beautiful sweetheart who had been his wife for only two months when their world fell apart. In a recent published book entitled "The Vow," they tell their story.

 

On the night of November 24, 1993, Kim and Krickett were on their way to visit Krickett's parents when they were involved in a terrible automobile accident that almost killed them both.  Krickett, however, was in a coma for two weeks, and when she awoke, she had no short-term memory. When she was able to talk to Kim, who had recovered more quickly, she looked at him and said, "I don't know you. I don't want you; go back to where you came from," and she kept talking about Todd, her boyfriend of some four years before.

 

She knew her parents and remembered everything clearly that had happened years ago; but she could not recognize her husband. For Kim, it was like being married to a living dead. Statistics say that 80% to 90% of those who sustain brain damage end up divorcing their spouse. Why? Their personalities are altered and they are like strangers, sometimes even hostile ones at that.

 

Why didn't he give up on her?  Kim answered, "When you make a vow before the Lord, you need to be a person of your word." Both Kim and Krickett were committed Christians and had taken their marriage vows seriously when they stood at a marriage altar and pledged their love to each other "till death do us part."

 

Kim stood by her, helped her in her rehabilitation, brought flowers for her, and the storybook ending to this near fatal tragedy is that eventually Kim and Krickett (wearing the same wedding dress that she had worn when she first took her vows) had another ceremony -- just like the first one -- reaffirming their love and commitment to each other. Love was born the second time in her heart for this man.

 

Can you learn to love the second time? When someone you love trampled on his or her vows and in a moment of thoughtless passion, violated the commitment he or she made, can love be reborn?

 

I'm thinking of a couple who sat with me only a few days ago. The husband began by saying, "There's nothing you can do to help us. We've been to many counselors and I don't think there is any hope for our marriage."  I turned to them and said, "I'm sorry to hear that God has died, and with His death, any hope of His doing anything in your lives also expired!"

 

Unbelieving they looked at me as if I was crazy. "No," I said, as long as God and both of you are alive, there is hope that your love for each other can be rekindled."

 

Kim courted his wife just as he did the first time. They got to know each other and they talked about the Lord and what He had meant to each of them. Eventually, she learned to trust him, to love him, and to recommit herself to him.

 

Love is more than an emotion; it is a deep meaningful commitment and rediscovering that had made Kim and Krickett Carpenter's marriage a two-fold blessing which has endured the fire.

 

JOY PARTERS INTERNATIONAL by Harold J. Sala © 2001. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward).

Past heartbreak leaving your future in doubt?

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thes. 3:5)

Is a past hurt hurting your future? Have you allowed your heart to become hardened?

Years ago I received an email with a simple message in it, simple yet profound. Some of you may know it. The advice reads as follows: Love like you’ve never been hurt. Work like you don’t need the money. Dance like nobody’s watching. It’s often in the simplest advice that the greatest insight is contained, and while this advice is usually seen in secular emails it still contains great theological truth.

We could write pages upon pages about “work like you don’t need the money”. If we are, indeed, following our vocation as we are beckoned by God to do (Jer. 1:4-8, 29:11), we will end up working that way…we will love what we do and be doing that for which we were designed.

At the same time, we could talk for days about the need to turn our backs to public opinion and perception, to “dance like nobody’s watching”. The entire foundation of Christianity is to follow Christ alone (Gal. 2:20, Rev. 15:4) and not to be led astray by others (Matt. 15:14).

While both of these aforementioned lines are challenging, it’s that first line that is especially hard for most of us…to love like you’ve never been hurt.

Do you? Do you love like you’ve never been hurt, or do you love so as not to be hurt again? Has a pain from your past suffocated your present or dimmed the brightness of your future? We were made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), that is, we were designed to love (1 John 4:19). We were designed to give love freely and to receive love gratefully.

And then sin entered. Or should I say, “sin enters"? Often times, as easily as love enters through a relationship, sin enters even more readily and more easily, because it is in relationships that we can focus more on the “I”, than the “love” or the “you”.

Have you ever given all of yourself to another person, only to have them use you for their own selfish gain? Have you ever used another but justified it in your own head? Have you been so hurt after sharing all of yourself, that you have allowed your heart to become hardened, your life guarded, so never to feel that pain again? Are you stuck in that prison of control and fear?

If so, you’re not evil, you’re human.
If so, you’re not alone, you’re in the majority.
And if so, you’re not really living, only breathing.

And have I ever felt that way? Of course I have. Everyone knows the pain of broken trust, a shattered relationship or lost love at one time or another in their life. The point, though, is not to allow yourself to be mastered by the past. Jesus is calling you forward. So, why do I bring this up? Read today's verse again. It's the love of God that is to direct our hearts.

Many people don’t find the relationships they so earnestly desire, because they have not allowed themselves to heal from the past. Rather than looking for the right person, they look for someone “unlike” the person that hurt them. That “logic” is illogical. Others fall into the trap of searching for someone the exact same, not learning from their mistakes; that, too, is failed logic.

What we need to realize is that Jesus Christ is the one by whom all must be measured. Jesus is "steadfast" as we are reminded in this passage. Is that to say we must find someone “perfect”, like Jesus? No, that obviously won’t happen. It is to say that we ought to find someone who strives to be selfless and to love offer and receive love as Jesus Christ, Himself, did.

Whether married or single, the same rule applies: Ladies, you will never enjoy the love you are designed to receive, until Jesus Christ is the man of your dreams. Only then will you live in such a way that other men will seek to mirror His divine image in your life and vocation. Gentlemen, you will never know the depth of true love until you are living as the man of God you were designed to become. Only then will you live a selfless kind of love, in the image of the Savior (Eph. 5:25) and really understand your vocation.

And if you want to read this “advice” as too idealistic or naïve…take some time and put it to prayer. Odds are that the time and pain have allowed the door of your heart to become locked; the emotional deadbolt is secure and in place, but it doesn’t have to be.

The only way to “take control” of your life, including your relationships, is to give up control to the One Who will bring you true life, true love, in His time, if you let Him. That might mean romantic relationships, it will definitely mean holier friendships, but it probably will start with your own spiritual preparation. God is not going to bring you the person you so desperately crave, until your heart is ready. If you’re still in pain from a relationship, talk to God about it today. Let God love you, first. Only then can you truly love (or receive the love of) another.

Adam and Eve forced us to work. Music helps us to dance.

But it was God…God is the reason we love.

LIFE TEEN by Mark Hart © 2006. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward).

The Heart of Jesus

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate." (Psalm 34:18-22)

Is your heart heavy today? Are you facing circumstances that to you seem impossible to bear? Jesus is the Answer to all of your problems. However, if you notice in the verse, it says that we need to come to Him with broken hearts and contrite spirits.

There have been many times in my life when I have gone to Jesus and asked Him for help. He did not help me because my heart was not right before Him. I was praying against people and not for them.

Search your heart today and see if Jesus is pleased with you. Is your heart broken because of the way you have treated others and Him? Jesus longs to kiss away the hurts of your life, but your heart must be right before Him before He can do it.

THE HEART OF JESUS by Joanne at joannelowe8@cox.net www.clarion-call.org

A Prayer That God Cannot Answer

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

Perhaps you've heard yourself praying this prayer in a moment of exasperation when dealing with people: "God, I can't deal with all these people anymore! Please remove all the people from my life who make me lose my peace and joy!"

As long as you live in this world, you will have challenges in your relationships with people. That's just a part of dealing with human beings. The only way you can be free of challenges with imperfect humans is to die prematurely and go directly to Heaven. But if you intend to live a full life here on planet earth, part of the package includes living with people who are far from perfect and who do things that occasionally surprise and disappoint you.

 

Paul had prayed to be delivered of problem people on three different occasions during his ministry.

"For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me."(2 Cor 12:8).

The word "besought" or "parakaleo" in Greek, lets us know that Paul had passionately asked God to answer this prayer. Paul had drawn as near to God as he possibly could; then once he was in that close position, he earnestly pleaded with God, asking Him to deliver him from that thorn in his flesh and from the messenger of Satan that buffeted and constantly harassed him.

 

The word "depart" is Greek word "aphistimi", Paul tells us that he asked God to cause this thorn in the flesh to  depart or to remove and as a rule it is used to refer to people rather than things. Paul was praying to be freed of problem people! He was literally saying, "God, I don't want to deal with these people anymore. I earnestly ask You to please remove them from my life!"

But here is why God cannot fully answer this kind of prayer: Even if God did remove this particular group of people that caused Paul such trouble, it wouldn't be long until another group of problem people showed up! As long as we live in this world, we will have to deal with people whom we don't enjoy or whom the devil tries to use to steal our joy and peace. If we constantly focus on getting rid of people we don't like or enjoy, we'll be praying to be delivered from people for the rest of our lives.

"My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9).

The word "sufficient" is Greek word "arkeo" that means to be sufficient; to be satisfactory; and to give protection, power, and help. This is precisely the word the Lord used when He told Paul, "My grace is more than enough to protect you, empower you, and help you deal with the problem people you encounter in life.

The word "strength" is Greek word "dunamis", the word for dynamic power. This is a strength that always releases sufficient power and possesses the ability to make needed changes. God knew that Paul needed a new surge of divine power that would change his perspective and empower him to successfully overcome his struggles with people.

The word "weakness" is Greek word "astheneo", which describes a person who feels weak, distressed, unsettled, or needy. If Paul was referring to physical sickness, as some assert, he would have used the word asthenes, which actually describes physical ailments. However, because Paul used the word astheneo and not asthenes in this verse, he confirmed to us again that he was not talking about physical sickness; rather, he was referring to the distressing, unsettling emotions he experienced as a result of the people who were a constant source of conflict for him. The Lord knew that Paul felt insufficient in his own strength to successfully deal with these people.

 

The word "perfect" is the word teleo, which means perfection, completion, or something that is mature. But the Greek tense used in this verse accentuates continuing action, which is a very important point! It means that this inflow of supernatural, strengthening power is not what God only does sometimes; it is power that God makes available at all times if we will only receive it. The verse could be translated, "My grace is more than enough for you. If you'll receive it, you'll find that it will sufficiently endow you with more than you need to deal with any situation. My power is always on hand, available to help you in moments when you are weak and needy."

 

Just like Paul, we may occasionally feel exasperated and incapable in our own strength to victoriously cope with troublesome people; nonetheless, the Lord gives us His promise: "My strength is made perfect in weakness."

So the next time you feel exasperated with people and are tempted to pray to be delivered from them, remember that this is a prayer you really don't want God to answer exactly like you asked. If He were to permanently remove you from "problem people," He'd have to take you home early! That is the only way you could ever be permanently freed from people who cause challenges for you. It's all right to pray for others to be changed, but never forget that God wants to do a work inside you as well! He wants to change you so that you can successfully live in the midst of imperfect people.

 

If you'll open your heart to receive what God has for you, He will fill you with His dynamic, supernatural power - divine power that will transform your thinking and inwardly fortify you to live successfully in this world. You'll be able to cope with the problem people you have to deal with - and you'll do it all with joy, peace, and victory! God will strengthen you and help you overcome your own weaknesses, making you sufficiently strong to handle every people challenge that ever comes your way!

PRAYER,
Lord, I realize today that I've been praying the wrong prayer! I've been asking You to remove all the problem people from my life; meanwhile, You've been wanting to reinforce me with sufficient strength to live with these people victoriously. Forgive me for wanting to run from my challenges. Help me face them bravely and confidently in the power of the Holy Spirit from this day forward. I know You want to give me this power, so I open my heart to receive it right now! I pray this in Jesus' name!

A Prayer That God Cannot Answer by Rick Renner www.renner.org

Broken hearts

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; (Lam 3:22 ESV)

People are looking for love.
That's why they end up
in lots of relationships.
But there is more needed
than someone else to fill our gap.

Just like ourselves,
other people are also imperfect.
Therefor they can never fullfill
our need for love completely.
That's why lots of relationships
break up, after a while.

God is the only one who can
truly fill your heart with
the deep love you hunger for.

His love goes way beyond
the abilities of a human being
to love you. His love is perfect.
He is always there to embrace
and encourage you.

His love does not fail.
Try it! You will see how true this is...

source : www.christianartforyou.com

Let go of the past

"Fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18)

The first step in moving forward into a fresh future is forgetting the disappointments of yesterday. No matter what people have done to you, or how unfair life has been, God is able to bring you out stronger than before. God wants the rest of your life to be more blessed than the first part—greater, in fact, than anything you could ever imagine. Unfortunately, too many people quit believing for more when they face tough times. They quit expecting anything good to happen. The truth is, our hardships and trials are really opportunities for us to go higher.

Whatever struggles you're going through right now, no matter how large or small . . . they are subject to change. Nothing may look right in your life today, but it's all subject to change. God is working behind the scenes on your behalf!

Prayer,
God, I feel at peace with my situation knowing You are behind the scenes, preparing a fantastic future for me. I am going to let go of the past and believe for more blessing and abundance in the days to come. In Jesus' Name – Amen.

Copyright © 2006 Joel Osteen Ministries, 3700 Southwest Freeway, Houston TX 77027

In God's Perfect Timing

Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." -- Genesis 29:18

Have you ever met someone at a social gathering and the sparks flew? You noticed not only the color of that person's eyes but also the sparkle in his or her eyes that seemed to invite you to explore that person more deeply. That's what happened between Jacob and Rachel. Genesis 29:17 says that Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful. Jacob fell so hard for her that he was willing to work for her father for seven years just to marry her.

If you were presented with Jacob's situation, would you have worked for seven years for the one you loved? Think back to what you were doing seven years ago. Were you working at the same job you are now? Attending the same church? Courting the same person? Our lives change a lot over a seven-year period, don't they?

Imagine what Rachel must have felt like. She found the man she wanted to marry and then had to be around him often over the next seven years without being able to marry him. She must have struggled with doubts about whether they would ever marry. Then, when the time finally arrived, she must have been devastated to find out that her father had tricked the man she loved into marrying her sister, Leah.

What Rachel could not possibly have understood at the time was that God would eventually bring the Savior of the world through the bloodline of Jacob and Leah. Jesus descended from a marriage that was based on deceit—at least on an earthly level—but God had bigger plans. Rachel eventually married Jacob in God's perfect timing.

God is orchestrating events in our lives to bring himself glory. Like Rachel, we don't know God's timing for our future, but we can trust that just as he knew what he was doing with Rachel, he knows what he is doing with us.

Digging Deeper into Genesis 29:18

1. Have you ever fallen in love with somebody only to have God tell you to wait for marriage?

2. Did you question God's timing? Explain.

3. What did you do during this period of waiting?

4. Did you ever think about the big picture? That God was at work orchestrating the events of your life for his glory? Or were you more self-focused? Explain.

5. How can this verse change the way you handle future relationships if God tells you to wait for marriage?

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Excerpted from Single Servings: 90 Devotions to Feed Your Soul by Lee Warren. Used by permission of Fleming H. Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, copyright © 2005. All rights to this material are reserved. Materials are not to be distributed to other web locations for retrieval, published by other media, or mirrored at other sites without written permission from Baker Publishing Group. Visit the publisher's Web site at www.BakerPublishingGroup.com.