When There Is Love, There Is Sacrifice
Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.” Genesis 29:18 (NLT)
When there is true love for someone or for something, working hard or paying a price does not feel burdensome. Love gives us the willingness to sacrifice. The story of Jacob and Rachel is one of the clearest examples of this truth. Jacob was so in love that seven years of hard labor for the woman he loved seemed reasonable to him.
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Love is demonstrated through sacrificial actions.
Jacob did not simply tell Rachel he loved her; he told her father, “I’ll work for you seven years.” True love is not just a feeling—it is a decision that expresses itself in action and sacrifice. -
Love adapts and lets go of personal preferences.
When we are trying to win the heart of the person who will become our spouse, sacrificing personal preferences doesn’t feel heavy. We adapt to the preferences of the other person: we eat the traditional food their parents serve when we visit, we watch the movie she likes, we don’t mind staying up late. We do it simply because there is love. -
Love should remain sacrificial in the home.
The challenge is to maintain that level of sacrifice after the courtship. Lord, help us keep in our homes—including mine—the same love that made us fall in love at the beginning. Allow us to enjoy the journey, loving each other with sacrificial love until the end of our days. -
Love for God motivates our service.
In the same way, Lord, help us keep the same love for You as at the beginning. We want to be able to show You that love and do everything You desire us to do—for You, for our home, and for Your church—because doing Your will has delighted us (Psalm 40:8, NLT) throughout our lives.
Love is the most powerful motivation. When we love, sacrifice stops being a burden and becomes a privilege. Jacob’s labor for Rachel reminds us that what we love determines what we are willing to work and wait for. May our love for God and for our family be as evident as Jacob’s.
Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.” Genesis 29:18 (NLT)
Think About It:
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In what area (marriage, service to God) have you allowed sacrifice to feel like a burden instead of a demonstration of love?
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What “personal preference” can you sacrifice this week out of love for your spouse or family?
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How can you rekindle your “first love” for God so that serving Him becomes a delight again rather than an obligation?