Do you believe in love at first sight? I posed this question to an online singles group. Needless to say, there was a wide range of answers. The biggest dispute came in the definition of love. We can all agree that agape love is impossible to experience within moments of meeting someone. That sort of love grows over time. So, let’s rephrase the question. Do you believe that you can have a witness in your spirit that you could love a newly met person? I’ve heard married couples say things that make me believe this is possible. For example, “I saw him/her and I just knew”. Or they said, “I knew that we’d get married after the first few dates.” What was it that these couples “knew”? Not convinced from those statements? In the Bible, there are some more examples.
One of the longest chapters in Genesis is dedicated to the story of Isaac and Rebekah. The hand of God was intricately woven throughout their love story. Abraham’s trusted servant was tasked with finding a wife for Isaac. Overwhelmed with the gravity of this assignment, the servant asked God to show him the right girl. Within moments of praying, Rebekah walked up to the well near the servant. Not only was she beautiful, but she also embodied a caring, sweet spirit. The Lord answered his prayer. My favorite part of the story comes at the end when Isaac met Rebekah. The Bible says he was meditating in the fields when his future wife was brought to him.
Fast-forward to the story of Jacob. Rebekah instructed her son to seek a wife among her family. She knew that the woman would have values similar to those of her son. So Jacob complied and went to the land of his mother’s family. As he waited around the well, Rachel came to water her father’s flock. Jacob was so attracted to her that he watered all her sheep. Then he kissed her! Talk about a first encounter. After only a few weeks of knowing her, the Bible says Jacob loved Rachel. He agreed to work seven years in exchange for her hand in a marriage. The years seemed like mere days due to his love.
There are some lessons we can learn from these examples. First, God cares about every detail of our life, even our romantic relationships. Without hesitation, we seek God’s wisdom in regards to which college to attend, what profession to pursue, and where to live. Why should our relationships be any different? Most likely, Isaac had his pick of any bachelorette in the area. He would inherit lots of livestock, servants, and land. Instead, Isaac spent time walking with God. I believe this relationship paved the way for God to work in his romantic relationship. In addition to having a strong relationship with God, initial attraction is also important. Physical attraction seems like a taboo topic. In reality, there must be that factor drawing you to the other person. Rachel’s beauty inspired Jacob to weep aloud and sing (read the story). Yet over time the spark lead to a deeper love.
Circling back to the original question, does love at first sight exist? Not in the sense of a true unconditional love. However, I believe that you can know there’s something special about a person. As you walk with God, then He’ll highlight people to you. He may whisper, “Smile at that guy” or “Go to this grocery store”. Whether it’s the leading of the Holy Spirit or physical attraction, it is quite possible to have an initial knowing about someone.
Be encouraged! :)
Written by Christa Martina
FB Page: See Martina Write
Scripture References: Psalms 37:23 (NLT) “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
Genesis 24
Genesis 29
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