Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. - Genesis 24:67
I won’t be so confident to say that “love at first sight” is a real thing. Perhaps, in my younger days, I would have insisted it was true. But as I’ve gotten older (and hopefully wiser), I realize that it’s more about God’s timing, purpose, and promises. When we seek His will in our relationships, He always comes through, even when we least expect it.
Several years before I met my husband, his mom and dad would stop me at church and say, “You really need to meet our son.” However, due to our different directions in life, our paths never crossed.
If I’m completely honest, I wasn’t interested in a guy with the last name Waddle. Call me shallow, but I laughed out loud every time I heard the name. And, I was skeptical about a guy whose parents were trying to get him a date!
Fast forward a few years, as I found myself home from college, a poor student looking to make some spending money. Again, the couple from church approached me. Their son was returning home from an assignment in the Philippines and they needed someone to help at his homecoming party. In my eagerness to earn some money, I said “yes.”
Then it happened. I arrived that day with the expectation of making a few bucks, but left with a big crush on none other than Jim Waddle. (Let’s just say it was a good thing I could blame my flushed face on an oven full of pigs in the blanket!)
That meeting happened more than 28 years ago, and I still love sharing it. Not only did God have a mighty plan, He taught me that I don’t always know what is best. In fact, I’d been praying for the Lord to bring a strong Christian man into my life, and He answered in the most unexpected way.
The Biblical account of Isaac and Rebekah is a beautiful example of how God answers prayers that are fully committed to Him.
When it was time for Abraham’s son to be married, Abraham had one request. He wanted Isaac’s wife to be selected from among his relatives. So, he called his servant and explained it to him.
“You shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” (Genesis 24:4)
The account goes on to say that the servant prayed for the Lord to reveal the exact girl Isaac was to marry, and the Lord answered. One of the sweetest aspects of the story, is that the moment she was brought to Isaac, he accepted her as his wife and chose to love her. This may seem to be a Biblical account of love at first sight, but I believe it’s more of an acceptance of God’s will at first sight.
When it comes to your marriage, no matter how it came about, and no matter where it is today, I believe with all my heart that God will bless a marriage committed to Him. He will answer our prayers when we seek Him with all our hearts.
Just as the Lord blessed Isaac with a wife from Abraham’s relatives, He can bless any marriage committed to Him. Instead of focusing on love at first sight, and being disappointed when it doesn’t happen, we can focus on God’s answers. After all, He is the restorer of things that are broken. He is the mender of things that are torn. He is our Heavenly Father who says, “Have you met my Son?”
Be encouraged in your marriage today! Whatever doubts have filled your mind, and whatever hurts have accumulated along the way, God can turn things around. Here are some “answers” for your marriage that you can count on.
My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)
I never dreamed I would end up marrying the guy whose parents tried to set us up. But God had a plan all along. God has a plan for your marriage as well. The big question is, will you allow Him to renew, restore, and refresh your relationship in ways that only He can?
Jennifer Waddle considers herself a Kansas girl, married to a Colorado hunk, with a heart to encourage women everywhere. She is the author of several books, including Prayer WORRIER: Turning Every Worry into Powerful Prayer, and is a regular contributor for LifeWay, Crosswalk, Abide, and Christians Care International. Jennifer’s online ministry is EncouragementMama.com where you can find her books and sign up for her weekly post, Discouragement Doesn’t Win. She resides with her family near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains—her favorite place on earth.
Related Resource: How to Make Your Prayer Habits Stick
Have you ever thought: "I wish I would have prayed first?"
Remembering to make prayer our first option over others in times of crisis, need, or our everyday lives can be challenging. We've all experienced the many distractions that circumvent our prayer intentions.
Join Rachel on Untangling Prayer as she shares James Clear's 4 laws of behavior change and how they apply to our prayer lives.
