True love is different from passion because it is intentional, comes from the heart, and is inexplicable. Passion, on the other hand, is a madness that overrides reason and common sense. It causes those who are infatuated to act foolishly and recklessly, while those who love each other are patient, kind, and persevering in order to achieve the end they desire: marriage. Jacob loved Rachel and was willing to pay the price to achieve the holy goal of marrying her. Beautiful! 

The text of 1 Corinthians 13 says: Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love is wonderful in every way and will never end (v. 8). It is the gift that God gives to husbands and wives so that they may live faithfully before Him, refusing the offers prepared by the devil to bring them down. A couple who love each other is bound by something stronger than death (Song of Solomon 8:6). Love unites the couple and helps them not to quarrel over trifles.

Love, joy, and hope were decisive factors in Jacob's life, for he knew that after seven years, he would have his Rachel forever by his side. Like him, we must live in the expectation that Jesus will return one day to take us to Himself. It may be now or many years from now; the important thing is to serve the Lord, working until we finish our race, having kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7-8). What would seven years be in order to finally be happy?

Isn't it with love, joy, and hope that parents raise their children? The pleasure of seeing them grow up and succeed in life compensates for the hard work of raising them, as well as the worries along the way. Love is wonderful in every way, and the good thing is that the Word of God affirms that it will never end. God is love (1 John 4:8), so He never gives up on His children!

Pastors should serve as examples to the entire congregation, living holy lives and avoiding any traps set by the devil. Those who stray into sin become a disgrace before the Most High. They will see their days pass and others come to take their place, for they did not keep their ministry nor their proper place (Jude 1:6). Believe what God says about your salvation!

Jacob did not know that Laban had planned to give him Leah, his eldest daughter, in marriage instead of Rachel. What would Jacob do? His love for the younger sister was non-negotiable. He suspected nothing, and until the day of the wedding, everything went as promised. However, when he woke up the next day, Jacob saw the switch (Genesis 29:25). We will leave it for another study to see the reaction of God's servant, who almost settled matters with his father-in-law.

The Scriptures exhort us not to trust in man: Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord (Jeremiah 17:5). Put your faith in God alone!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares