Genesis 24:51,67

"Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed."... Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death."

In the Old Testament tradition, it is your father's responsibility to find you a suitable wife.  You can pick out one that you want, but ultimately the father has the last say in obtaining a wife for you.  Such is the story of Isaac and Rebekah with an interesting twist;  It was Abraham's Father in heaven who directed and arranged the marriage.


Notice in v67 that Isaac loved her, despite having just met her.  Why?  Because the LORD already knows who is compatible because he searches their hearts.  If you submit to His will for your wife, you will not be disappointed (and same goes for ladies).  Because you know that the LORD has made directed your marriage, you know already that your marriage will stand on a firm foundation for what God has joined together let no man separate. (Mark 10:9)

Be content with where God has you.  He knows what you need and when you need it and if he sees fit to give you a wife or a husband it will be not only the right time, but also the right person.  Give up the chase and let God give you grace!  Hallelujah!

Footnote:  Of course this is all contingent on God actually being your Father...

Romans 9:18-20

Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”


Salvation is God's choice.  There is no doubt about that.  However, what people cannot accept is its corollary:  condemnation is also God's choice.

One implication is the question asked in verse 19.  Paul's answer isn't very comforting, even though it is deeply rooted in Old Testament Scripture (Isa 29:16, 45:9, Job 38-42).  How on Earth is God justified to do this?  Is He just a tyrant?


God is God.  Whatever he does, he does out according to his good pleasure.  What pleases God?  Certainly not wickedness!  He is good, holy, and righteous.  He is a God who is for us that none may stand against us.

How do we know this?  Because Jesus Christ is the full revelation of God.  The Scriptures are his divinely inspired self revelation because he is a God who wants to be known for who he is and who he is is perfect, pleasing, and good.  Therefore, we have no need to question God's motives, nor is it our place.  Who can understand why God does what he does?  God is who He says He is and that is enough.

James 1:22

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says."


Do I take seriously God's word?  That's the question.  If by these instructions I might find abundant life, would I not be careful to follow them exactly?  If in fact I were holding a treasure map that indicated the location of a treasure in a field, would I not heed it's instruction?

Obedience is not required for salvation.  It can never be through works of the law that we could choose to be righteous for if we choose it would not be by God's choice and it would not be grace.  However obedience flows naturally out of faith like water out of a faucet.  If the water did not flow, then it wouldn't be a very good faucet.  How can anyone be obedient to Christ if they do not first believe in Christ?  Truly we are all disobedient who do not know Christ.

And who can know Christ except to whom He reveals himself?  So then faith which gives birth to obedience and leads to salvation is in fact a gift of God's grace.  The entire salvific process is done by God, through God, and in God so that it can never fail, unlike religion made by men.

So be doers of the will of God: to believe in the one whom he has sent. Those that have ears to hear, let them hear!

Romans 12:2

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

    When someone begins to see through the eyes of Christ, it's like their whole world changes, but actually only their perspective changes. It's like getting glasses for the first time; suddenly everything looks a whole lot clearer than it once did!

    It is from this position that we can even begin to discern God's will just as it is written, "I know my own and my own know me." (John 10:14). But how do we begin to know God's will? Let's go to the text: "By testing you may discern what is the will of God." Prayer and Bible Study are important, yes, but you will never know where God is leading you unless you take a step out in faith, as it is written "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." (Pro 16:9)

    Peter would have never walked on water had he not taken that leap of faith. Even as he sank, Jesus was there to catch him. Trust in God that he will catch you when you stray off the path. Trust he will bring you back again if you wander off. Step out in faith and God will move mountains for you. Or not. It really depends on what the will of God is.

Proverbs 18:22

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD."

Curiously enough, the Hebrew here could also be translated "He who stumbles upon a wife" or even "He who happens to find a wife finds a good thing."  I get a mental image of a man walking along a road stopping to look down at his feet, and behold! A wife is there for him to enjoy.  Whether or not that man was looking for a wife or not, the proverb does not say, however I could almost guarantee you if he is completely focused on trying to find a wife, he isn't paying attention to the road signs.

When you are so wrapped up in accomplishing your own will, you will completely miss God's will for your life and all the wonderful things he has for you.  Remember it is God who gives "favor" (in wife/husband form).  If God has a husband or a wife in store for you, then trust in him and follow him and he will surely lead you the right way.  Focus on doing God's will first and learn to be content.  You are complete in Christ just the way you are.

Do you want an easy marriage/idolatry self test?  Ask yourself this question: If God told you right this second to give up (Fill in Blank:) marriage and to stay single for His kingdom, would you do it?  If you answered no or had to think about it for a second, marriage is your idol.