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Choosing a Spouse
Genesis 24:3
"And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:"
Matchmaking seems to be one of the oldest traditions that many people try to do for single people. Because I didn't get married until my mid twenties, I had several people try to set me up with someone whom they thought I should marry. However, when God sent the right person my way it was evident that I was to marry her.
Choosing a spouse should never be taken lightly. One of the two things that will impact your life the greatest is the person whom you marry. It will ultimately determine many things for the rest of your life. I could never give this subject the proper emphasis in a short devotional, but I do want to give you some things to look for when choosing a spouse. The story of Abraham's servant finding a wife for Isaac gives us great insight on what anyone should look for in a spouse. If you are a parent, you should teach your child these principles. If you are a single person, you should be sure to follow these principles in choosing a spouse.
First, ask God to guide you to the right person. In verse 12, you will see that before the servant started looking, he asked God to guide his path to the right young lady. God's guidance in finding a spouse will greatly help you in finding the right person. When I was single, I constantly asked God to guide me to the right lady. When I was dating a young lady, I would ask God to end the relationship if she were not the right one for me. This prayer saved me from marrying the wrong person. God literally guided my path to my wife, and he will guide your path to your future spouse if you will ask Him. You must allow God to guide you to the right person at the right time.
Second, choose someone who is a worker. In verse 16, you will notice that Rebekah wasn't afraid to work. This principle is important, for if a lady marries a man who doesn't like to work, then she will have to pay the bills herself. Likewise if a lady is not a worker, then she will be a poor housekeeper.
Third, choose someone who is concerned with their appearance. Verse 16 says, "And the damsel was very fair to look upon,..." A sloppy person is not one who will be "fair to look upon,..." A person's appearance will show if they treat everything with importance. This is important for the purpose that you want your spouse to be one who treats everything in your marriage and life with importance. A sloppy appearance will most likely display someone who does not have great potential.
Fourth, choose someone who has a good relationship with their parents. In verse 29, you can see that Rebekah's relationship with her parents was good for she was excited to tell them about her experience. Likewise, she would not have listened to her dad if she had a poor relationship with him. A person's relationship with their parents will reveal what kind of relationship they will have with you if you marry them. If a young lady is close to her father, then she will most likely be close to her husband. The same can be said about a young man and his mother.
Last, choose someone who wants to do God's will. In verse 58, Rebekah wanted God's will for she heard how God led this servant to her and her family. Never marry someone who is not concerned with God's will for their life. Your marriage has a greater chance of being successful and happy if both desire God's will.
Never take the choosing of a spouse lightly. Though these are a few principles to guide you, I believe these are some of the most important principles to guide you. Finding the right person to marry is not done by accident, but it is done by following the principles mentioned above.