Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Better than eHarmony

photo from movie website

My Year Listening to God: God answers prayer and He is a matchmaker.






I can still hear the song, "Matchmaker," from Fiddler on the Roof.



Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
catch me a catch
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Look through your book,
And make me a perfect match

In the dialogue throughout the song, I feel the fear and the apprehension of matchmaking. Read it for yourself.


photo from movie website



Here in Genesis, Abraham asks his trusted servant to find a bride for his son. The faithful steward prays for success and God grants His petition. He finds a bride for his master's son. Whoa!


I love the fact that here is a prayer from someone in Abraham's household. It is not the patriarch, but the patriarch's servant who receives the blessing of answered prayer. Wow! The blessing of Abraham extends to even Abraham's household. God's work in humankind's lives makes a positive difference.


God brought two people together. They did not create a profile on eHarmony and discover compatibility levels as well as "values, character, intellect, sense of humor, spiritual beliefs, passion, and up to 24 other dimensions (eHarmony)." God directed them to each other in the most unimagineable circumstances. Some may claim, chance. Others may deride, luck. Even others may chide, archaic, old-fashioned, neanderthal. But I believe that God always oversees everything and is involved with everyone, even computer compatibility algorithms. Though some may declare online success, I trust God and His principles for working in my life and within the spectrum of my relationships. I am not opposed to compatibility results, but in addition to tests I believe that God's principles and precepts can be followed to maximize great relationships and to offer comparable success for those who abide by the Bible's teachings. God brings people together--whether by culturally arranged means or scientifically calculated algorithms, I believe God still presides over all relationships.


I wonder what you think. I wonder if you believe that God uses even computer sciences to do His will for arranging couples into marriages. Let me know what you think.

COOL NASA SATELLITE NIGHT SHOT OF EUROPE - DAWN COMING

Europe at Night photo courtesy of NASA


COOL NASA SATELLITE NIGHT SHOT OF EUROPE - DAWN COMING

As I engage my role as pastor of cross-cultural missions, I am inspired to pray for the dawning of a new day in the next generation of missionaries to Europe and to the 10/40 Window.

The footage of the dawning of a new day over Europe directs me to ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest. The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few. May God raise up laborers to harvest in the fields ripe.

Take a moment to say this prayer, "God, bring light into the darkness of the world with the Good News of being with God forever by accepting Christ as your Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen."