20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. – Genesis 29:20
I can still remember the first time I saw Robyn. She walked into the room with a grace, strength and dignity equal to her beauty. Her posture and stride told me she was a confident woman who approached life with a purpose and a plan. As I got to know her, she was someone I respected and admired. Honestly, I never thought of dating her because I wasn’t in a position to do so and frankly, by my assessment, she was way out of my league. Nevertheless, as the Lord would have it, circumstances changed, and we began to date. As our relationship grew and marriage came into the picture, we made the commitment that I would finish school before taking our vows. That meant waiting for what felt like an eternity. It wasn’t. But I can assure you, it was the longest couple years of my life.
Hopefully, you won’t be surprised to hear me say, “It was so worth it!” It was worth the wait, because she is worth it. She is everything I perceived in that first impression and so much more. I can easily say I’d do it all again. But I’m also willing to admit that I’m glad the wait wasn’t longer. I don’t want to imagine having to work and wait seven years like Jacob did. I’d love to tell you that the story of Jacob and Rachel is one great romantic tale of innocent love, but alas, I’d have to overlook the many selfish and unfortunate circumstances surrounding their union to do so. Frankly, their marriage journey was a bit of a soap opera. How bad was it? Well, let’s just say Jerry Springer would have gladly welcomed all parties on his show. If you’re unfamiliar with the story, be sure to check out Genesis 29 to see for yourself. The good news is that the Lord loved Jacob even more than Jacob loved Rachel. And rest assured, the Lord waited even more patiently than Jacob. Why? Because Jacob was worth it, and so are you.
Pastor Jerry Lingenfelter