Love Is A Choice

Love is a Choice

Scripture:

Genesis 24:67
Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Observation:

Isaac had never met Rebekah until his servant brought her home.  He trusted his servant to fulfill the mission on which he had been sent.  His servant arrived with a young woman from far away and yet, Isaac took her home and made her his wife.  Then there is a simple, but profound statement, "and he loved her."  Note, it doesn't say "he fell in love with her and then married her."  It's actually the other way around and there is something here which we should observe.  Isaac made a choice, a lifelong decision that he would love his wife.

Application:

Listening to the radio this morning on the way to the airport I heard an advertisement from a Law Office.  They mentioned that in the United States, right around 50% of marriages will end in divorce.  The message was, since this is inevitable for so many of you, make sure you get the right lawyer.

Interestingly last evening I heard another advertisement that caught my attention, but this time it was regarding the importance of filing your taxes electronically and as soon as possible. Why?  Because divorced couples with children who file before their previous spouse will be able to file electronically and then it will create problems for the other spouse and they will have to do more work and file more paper work.  So, hurry up, get it done so that you can have the advantage and mess up your former spouses life even more...and maybe even get more money back from the government for claiming your children.  Wow!!!!

No wonder there are so many divorces and so many relational problems.  We are not choosing to love one another, we are choosing to love ourselves and society is even promoting and putting its seal of approval on this type of behavior!

Many of the societal issues we face these days are because we are putting ourselves first and not choosing to love.  This may be in marriages but it is also probably reflected in all of life.  We have been taught to look out for number one.  God's intention is that we choose to love and that we place the needs of others before our own.  John Wooden is quoted, “The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” (Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and off the Court).

Choose to love your spouse!  Choose to love your children.  Choose to love your relatives.  Choose to love those whom you encounter in life.  Isaac chose to love, and he was comforted.  Choose to love and the God of all comfort will minister to our hearts as well.

Prayer:

Lord, may I love today.  Amen.




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