6. COOPERATE WITH YOUR ANGEL

Much can be deduced from how Isaac found his wife. Isaac’s dad, Abraham, engaged the chief servant of his household to find a wife for Isaac. He charged him not to find a wife from the Canaanites amongst whom they lived. He asked his servant to go to his country to find a wife amongst his relatives. This reinforces the wisdom of marrying within God’s family (Gen 24:4). The servant was concerned that if he found a woman for Isaac, she may not be willing to leave her family to come live with Isaac (Gen 24:5).

Abraham assured him that God would send an angel to go before Him to help with the task of finding Isaac a wife (Gen 24:7). This was when I discovered that there is an angel responsible to go before you to help you find your spouse. But, I have a question for you: Is your angel going before you, or is your angel chasing after you? Are you giving your angel a nervous breakdown? Is your angel losing his wings because of you? Are you making your angel contemplate retirement? Is your angel going to the other angels saying, “Hey, you wanna switch assignments with me?” Michael is known as the war angel. Is your angel always going to Michael, asking for backup? To which Michael responds, “Again??!!” Are you frustrating your angel? Please cooperate with your angel.

7. PRAY

Having been given assurance that God will send His angel, the servant proceeded to look for a wife for Isaac. He got to a well and began to pray for guidance (Genesis 24:12). Friend, make no mistake about it, prayer is necessary, not only to find your mate, but also to fulfill everything God plans for you. Praying for someone to marry is more effective than preying on someone to marry.

8. USE DISCERNMENT

In his prayer, the servant told God that he would ask a woman to give him water to drink. If she agrees to give him a drink and offers to water his camels, then let her be the one that God “chose” to be Isaac’s wife. Before he finished praying Rebecca showed up and fulfilled everything he requested from God. But something strange happened. The scripture says that the servant was silent watching her while she was watering the camels, to see if God had made his journey successful (Gen 24:21). I was dumbfounded.

What does he mean by “if God made his journey successful?” She agreed to give him water, and she volunteered to water his “ten” camels. Case closed! God just fulfilled everything he asked and he is still wondering if the mission was successful. Why didn’t he just tell her that she was the one for Isaac? What was he waiting for? It was while I was pondering about this, that it hit me. I now discovered why so many of us make poor choices in relationships.

Many people have prayed for God to guide them to their mate. In some cases, shortly after they prayed, someone showed up. This person looked the part. This person quoted scripture. This person spoke Christianese. Like Rebecca, they fit the profile. But unlike the servant, the person who prayed did not watch the potential to see if God truly hooked them up. You see, it’s one thing for Rebecca to say that she will give him a drink and water his ten camels. It’s another thing for her to actually do what she said she would do. This was what the servant was watching. Is she who she said she is? It was after Rebecca watered ALL the camels that the servant now put a ring on it. It was after she fulfilled her word to him that he gave her jewelry and revealed to her, his mission and her relevance to it (Gen 24:22).

Even though you’ve prayed, please don’t be quick to think the first person that comes before you is from God. I encourage you to use discernment. Before you plan the wedding, contemplate your wedding dress, figure out who your best man will be, or whether the nuptials will be in the Sistine chapel or on a beach in Venice, slow down and watch your prospect. Does the person walk the talk? Watch the person’s fruit, not gifts. Watch His or her character, not charisma and talent.

9. DON’T LET YOUR FAMILY HOLD YOU BACK

After the servant verified that Rebecca was the one for Isaac, he went with her to meet her family. He told them about his mission and what happened. They were all excited. The servant and his entourage stayed overnight. The next day he wanted to leave with Isaac’s bride. But the family said that they should wait ten more days, then after, they could go. The servant was not willing to wait. He told them not to “delay him” (Gen 24:56).

That was when another nugget hit me. One of the reasons why some single people who want to get married, are still single, is because their family members are holding them back. There are many single people like Rebecca. They know God has someone for them. The Holy Spirit has revealed this to them, like the servant revealed it to Rebecca. But unlike Rebecca, they haven’t moved. They haven’t taken a step out of their comfort zone by faith toward the person God has for them. Sometimes this is because they have, perhaps, inadvertently, let their family members hold them back. Please don’t let your family hold you back when God has told you to move forward.

10. YOU HAVE A CHOICE

After the servant demanded not to be delayed, Rebecca’s brother and mother decided that they should ask Rebecca if she wanted to go with the man. Rebecca said, “I will go” (Gen 24:57). If you have never studied this story closely, you might have thought that Rebecca didn’t have a choice. You might have assumed that she went along just because it was required of her. That is further from the truth.

Rebecca had always had a choice. She had a choice even before the servant left Abraham. If you recall, the servant asked Abraham what was to be done if she was not willing to come (Gen 24:5). Rebecca did not become Isaac’s wife just because some stranger said “the Lord told him that she was the one for Isaac.” She married Isaac because, though God revealed him to be her husband, she chose to marry him. Rebecca had a choice. And so do you. Please don’t go along with someone just because they tell you that God told them that you are the one for them. If God told them, He would tell you, too. You have a choice. Please choose wisely.