Deeply Loved

Deeply Loved

Rachel

Read: Genesis 29:10-20

There wasn’t a dry eye anywhere as Stephen and Cassandra exchanged their wedding vows. Stephen had longed to marry her since kindergarten, so this day had been a long time in coming. He had waited patiently during her disastrous first marriage shortly after high school. Later, he had supported her financially and emotionally through a long illness, eventually giving her one of his kidneys. Now, watching Cassandra beam at her groom, I wondered what her life would be like with a husband who loved her enough to sacrifice so much. I wouldn’t have to wait long—the second half of the miniseries would air the next night.

Today’s Bible passage describes a real-life example of a woman loved by a man who was willing to sacrifice for her. Jacob loved Rachel from the first moment that he laid eyes on her. Since he had fled from his home and had no material possessions to offer her father, Jacob promised to work for seven years in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage. Rachel must have felt a wonderful security and joy in knowing that Jacob loved her so deeply that seven years of hard work as a shepherd seemed like just a few days to him. Later, he even agreed to work an additional seven years to secure her as his bride.

What woman doesn’t dream of being loved that deeply? Yet what woman hasn’t already been loved far more than that? Whether we know it or not, there is a Man who loves us so much that he willingly died on a cross to save our lives. That kind of selfless love is amazing enough, but in reality, Jesus was God, taking human form to lay down his life on our behalf. The same God who created us made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and we’ll never find a love deeper than his.

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:10