by AC Carter
"And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.” Genesis 29:16-20 KJV
You know, life gets so interesting seeing how people fall in love. Yet of all the spontaneous gestures that come along with two people showing interest in each other, there’s not much more important than being willing to wait for the one you love. As I consider the story of Jacob’s love for Rachel in the 29th chapter of Genesis, I observe how he had a steadfast willingness to wait for Rachel as he learned that she could not be his wife until her older sister, Leah, was married first. Jacob had enough patience not only out of honor for their custom but also for the woman he loved. Even today, there’s a great anticipation when we admit that the one we love is worth waiting for. Relationships are made stronger from the love that’s established during the waiting. There are a few hints that are helpful in seeing the importance of waiting: 1. Waiting Builds Patience 2. Waiting Keeps Priorities 3. Waiting Receives the Promise In an ever changing world, it is so refreshing to still hear of the stories of how couples took their time to get to know each other and slowly approached the relationship. There could never be a substitute for getting to know each other. Just as Jacob was so excited to receive his wife, Rachel, there will always be that precious moment to remember simply because you waited for the one we loved.
Meet the Author
Alvin ”AC” Carter is a native of Madison, Mississippi, and currently resides in Gluckstadt, MS with his wife, KaLandra M. Carter. They are the parents of three daughters, Aerial, Alondriya, & Khloe. Alvin is a member of Pilgrim Rest M. B. Church (Madison, MS) under the leadership of Pastor Matthew L. Canada where he currently serves as the Minister of Christian Education. He and KaLandra are also Christian Couples' Ministry Leaders. They both attended the Marriage Bootcamp conducted by Jim and Teresa Adams in 2014 in Jackson, MS. Soon after, with the collaborative effort of other couples from the church that also attended the event, the Christian Couples Ministry was established. Alvin is a graduate of Tougaloo College (Tougaloo, MS) where he serves as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Champions of Character Coordinator for the Department of Athletics. He is also a graduate of Liberty University where he received his Master of Arts in Theological Studies.
He is a licensed and ordained minister and receives annual training through the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education. He annually serves as Youth Instructor for the Madison County Baptist Association of Churches Congress of Christian Education.
He enjoys spending time with his family, writing (which is one of his greatest passions), and most importantly, preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
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