Ancient pickup lines: Lessons learned from Isaac and Rebekah

“Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?”

“Girl, you must be tired. You’ve been running through my mind all day!”

“Hey, baby. Come to Butthead.”

So what’s your favorite pickup line? Some of them seem like they have been around forever. Do you know what the first pick-up line ever was? “Please give me a little water from your jar.” It can be found in Genesis 24.

A little background to the story first. God promised Abraham many grandkids through His son Isaac, but Isaac was almost forty and still not married (Genesis 25:20). That’s right, Isaac was the original 40 year old virgin.

So Abraham did what most parents do in such a situation: he tried to make a love connection by sending his servant out on a long journey to the homeland. That’s where the story gets really interesting.

“And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. And he said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’; -may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I shall know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.” (Genesis 24:11-14)

Amazingly, everything happened exactly as the servant requested. Rebekah walked towards him as he was praying and offered him a drink. When she offered to get enough water for his thirsty camels too, he knew she was the one he had been praying for. This story gives us a glimpse into the successful strategy of Abraham’s servant. Here are three steps to make your search successful.

Pray for your future spouse. Though you may not know who they are yet, they need prayer just as much as you. Pray that you will find each other and be able to determine which one it is amongst all the others. This is not because it won’t happen if you don’t pray; it is so you can give your worries over to Him. God has done and will do all the work that you can’t do.

Look for signs, but don’t ignore the obvious. Like many of us at one time or another, the servant prays to God, “Show me a sign!” Subtle signs can be very confusing. So the servant asked for a specific sign that revealed Rebekah’s character.

“It was a sign that was calculated to throw much light on the character and disposition of the girl worthy of his master’s son. He was merely to ask her for ‘a sip’ – as the Hebrew word may be rendered – of water for himself; but the one whom God had chosen to be the mother of a great people and a remote ancestress of Jesus Christ would reveal her generous nature and her willingness to serve others by offering him not a mere “sip” of water but an abundant ‘drink.’ To this she was also to add the astonishing offer of drawing water for the camels also. Now when we consider that these ten beasts, after the toil of the long desert, were prepared to empty at least four barrels of water in all, the spontaneous willingness of the girl of his prayers to serve man and beast would point to a kindly and unselfish disposition and also to a character of the highest order.” (Campbell, The Loveliest Story Ever Told)

Rebekah went over and above what was required to fulfill her hospitality duties within her culture. It was great labor for her to give all of his camels their fill of water after a long journey. She could have gotten away with just giving him a drink, but her deeds made her great character obvious to anyone watching.

Pray with your eyes open. Sometimes God makes us wait; sometimes He can’t wait for us to finish our sentence. “And it came about before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah…came out with her jar on her shoulder.” Notice that she was just doing her daily chores when she found her future husband. She wasn’t going to bars everyday or applying to get on ”The Bachelor.” She was going about her daily routine when the day that changed her life finally came, probably when she least expected it. Keep your eyes open; God is at work now orchestrating everything.

“And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming.” Isaac never gave up hope. He waited patiently and expected her arrival at any moment. His meditations were on God, however, not her.

“And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the camel.” (Verse 64) Rebekah thought the camel wasn’t moving fast enough and wanted to be with Isaac as soon as she saw him. She fell from her camel when their eyes met. God will bring the two of you together. It may seem like you’re in a slow-moving caravan and you may feel like you need to get off in the middle of the journey, but God knows that you will never make it if you walk the whole journey by yourself. Let Him guide you and prepare the events the way they need to occur.

As an added bonus, here are few Bad Christian Pick-up lines.

1. Is your name Grace because your irresistible?
2. I’m fluent in 5 love languages
3. Is this pew taken?
4. You are so unblemished I would sacrifice you
5. I didn’t believe in pre-destination… until tonight.
6. Looks like I found my missing rib.
7. Are we on the mountain of transfiguration? because you’re glowing
8. Solomon had 700 wives because he never met you
9. You put the cute in persecution
10. I would leave 99 sheep to come find you
11. All I’m looking for is a godly woman; it doesn’t matter that you’re not attractive
12. You make the Queen of Sheba look like a crack ho
13. I don’t speak in tongues, but I kiss that way!
14. I went on a mission trip and the whole time I was mission you
15. Let’s be like Noah and do this as a pair.”
16. I’m not a big fan of your last name, but don’t worry – I can change that.
17. If I march around you 7 times, will you fall for me?
18. If you were a leper I would still hold your hand… even if it wasn’t attached.
19. Let me sell you an indulgence because it must be a sin to look as good as you do.
20. When it comes to you I am a charismatic, I want to lay hands on you
21. Your two breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies.