Genesis 24 – the story the Holy Spirit included in the Biblical record of Isaac’s bride hunt which carries priceless principles we must keep in mind when we go about a life partner search. In this chapter, Eliazer, the servant of Abraham chooses a life partner for his master’s son, Isaac. Here were the qualities he looked for in that person when he chose:
He chose a Believer : He was asked to go on a long journey, a journey that lasted atleast 21 days according to some Bible Scholars, to look for a wife for Isaac. The reason for this was not hard to guess: in the area Abraham lived there were hardly any believers of the living God with a transformed life of no-idolatry. Abraham explicitly forbade Eliezer from choosing a girl “from the daughters of the Canaanites” (Gen 24:3). Canaanites were a wicked people who were recipients of a curse from the God-attested Noah, we understand from a previous Bible reference to them (Gen 9:25). So, the essence of what Abraham was driving home to Eliazer was this: I don’t want my son to marry an unbeliever from Canaan – but only a believer! Keep on traveling till you meet one! Keep on searching till you meet one! Here is where many young people trip and fall. They fall in love with “cute” and “cool” unbelievers they bump into – in their college, in their offices. God’s message for such folks is the same as Abraham’s message was for Eliazer: Swear to me that you will not choose a life partner who is not a believer! (Eliazer by placing his hand under the thigh of Abraham was making a solemn oath to this effect in line with the traditions of those times – Gen 24:9).
He chose a Good-looker: Eliazer bumped into Rebekah who “was very attractive in appearance” (Gen 24:16). There is nothing unspiritual about wanting to marry a pretty girl or a handsome boy. But we must NOT make beauty the first and final deciding factor when it comes to our life partner choice. But remember that beauty is temporary – it could disappear instantly if someone throws acid on your partner’s face (God forbid it) or a disease wrecks havoc on your partner’s body (We pray that it would not happen).
He chose a Holy-walker: The girl that Eliazer chose for Isaac, was a virgin, the Bible records (Gen 24:16). She was beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside! She had beauty that tape could not measure – the beauty of holiness. In other words, Rebecca was holy in her walk!
He chose a Hard-worker: The girl that Eliazer chose for Isaac was electric when it came to completing a task she voluntarily would take up. She not only offered the ultra-thirsty Eliazer, water. She also offered the same for the gallons-gulping camels that Eliazer rode on. It was no easy task. It must have involved a lot of sweat, I bet.
He chose a Giver: Rebekah, was willing to give room to stay in her home for the long-distance traveler Eliazer; (Gen 24:25). Marriage is a Give and Take relationship. So a marriage between two givers, trying to out-do each other, is bound to work!
He chose a Converser: Rebekah converses with her family and narrates to them about how she dramatically met Eliazer (Gen 24:28). One of marriage’s primary purposes is for meaningful conversations. It is not all about having sex, 24/7. A married man is writing this piece, by the way.
He chose an Obeyer: When Rebekah said, “I’ll go!” to say, “I do!” she actually was obeying God. She certainly overheard it when Laban and Bethuel said, “This thing has come from the Lord!” (Gen 24:52,58). This was how, her thought process got going: Since this thing is from the Lord, I must make it happen! Let me go with this man, to make that happen!
He chose a Respecter: When Rebekah spotted the man she would marry, she covered herself, in line with the traditions of the times she lived in – as a mark of respect and love for her would-be husband (Gen 24:65). You can’t marry the person, you can’t respect, can you?
If we look for these priceless qualities in our hunt for the lifer-partner. We will surely have the best MARRIED LIFE ever!
