How long is love?

Thursday 1-12-17, Modesto, California

Today we read Gen 29 – 30 and Luke 12

S = Scripture  O = Observation  A = Application  P = Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S. Gen 29:17-20 Rachel was beautiful in every way, with a lovely face and shapely figure. Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, "I'll work for you seven years if you'll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife." "Agreed!" Laban replied. "I'd rather give her to you than to someone outside the family." So Jacob spent the next seven years working to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. NLT

O. Rachel’s father, Laban, could not be trusted. From the first mention of his name, one could see where his interests were. He was highly impressed by riches, attracted to gold rings and bracelets.** Now many years later Jacob arrived at Laban’s place with no riches, but he fell in love with his gorgeous youngest daughter, Rachel. So, it is Jacob that suggests to Laban that he earn the right to marry Rachel by working for seven years for Laban. Seven years! Obviously this guy was sick with love! Why not seven months or maybe seven weeks? But they say “time flies when you are having fun”.

A. During seven years Jacob worked for Laban and kept his eye on that charming young thing that was blossoming like a rose, every day becoming more beautiful. He was sick with a disease called “love”. The years flew by like days. But then, that tricky Laban blew out the lights and switched brides on him.

I fell in love very young, but I wasn’t offering to wait seven years to get married. I would wait for almost two years, but I had a purpose in that delay. I wanted to give us time to become well acquainted, to really know one another. But, please not seven years! I might have become a grumpy old man by that time!

P. Jesus, I fell in love with You 80 years ago. And the years go by like days as I approach the time when I will be united with You. And by the way, I want to thank You for leading me to the right companion for my life. An error at that point in my life would have spelled tragedy. So, just as I trusted You to guide me way back so many years ago, I ask You to guide me down this road today. I am still in love with You. Maybe I could have the privilege of working for You seven more years… even seven months or seven weeks would be okay. Amen.

Ralph

**Genesis 24:29 tells how Laban saw the gold nose ring and the golden bracelets on his sister, Rebekah, so he ran to meet the man with these riches and invited him in. All his life Laban seemed impressed by riches. They seemed to become his priority in life.