Perhaps the most romantic verse in the Bible is found in Genesis the story of Jacob and Rachel. Jacob left home and traveled nearly 500 miles to find the right girl to marry. When he found her, her father required him to work seven years as a laborer for a dowry before he could marry her. Jacob’s attitude about the seven years (which because of her father deception turned into 14 years) is seen in Genesis 29:20.

“Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.”

Reading this verse touches nearly every woman. They might say, “I want to be loved like that.” The great romance of this story does not end with this verse. After decades together, Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin. (Gen 35). The loss devastated Jacob, but with twelve sons, life must go.

Nearly 40 years later, Jacob also died. As he lay on his death bed his son Joseph came to visit him one last time. What would this great old patriarch talk about as his life was ebbing away? Would he tell stories of Isaac? Would he tell of his conflict with Esau? Would he ramble about how hard life is? No!

He spoke to Joseph about the love of his life, Rachel and told of her burial. He loved her when he met her. He loved her when he worked for her. He loved her when he died. That is a great love story. That is real romance.

Have you ever read such a tale of love? Oh yes I have. Here it is:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

Before you were ever born, God loved you so much that He let His Son die for you. That is the greatest love story ever. I want to be loved like that!

You go to school for the opportunity of a great life. You set the alarm and go to work so that you might have a chance at a great life. To help you build the great life, here are four rules for a great life. Ignore them and you will never find the great life.

1. You have to have someone to love.

When God created the world, after each act He said, “It is good.” The first thing he ever said was not good was, “it is not good for man to be alone.” When He said this there was only Adam. Adam needed Eve and in time the two of them needed their children and their friends. They all needed God. We were not made to be alone. We all need someone to love and need someone to love us.

2. You have to have something to do.

Work was not the curse for man’s disobedience. Before Adam sinned he was working. He tended the Garden of Eden and did the work of naming all the animals. We were made to do work. Find your work and you will find one step toward a great life.

3. You have to have something to believe in.

James says a man who does not know what he believes is “doubled minded” and then adds, “A double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:8). It ought to be obvious that an unstable person, one who does not know what to believe cannot be happy and successful.

4. You have to have something to look forward to.

I once heard someone say, “I’m shopping on the internet so I will have something to look forward to.” Even if you are waiting for an order you are looking forward to something, but there are bigger things to dream about and anticipate. Is it a vacation, a new job, or even a dinner out? To find joy one has to look forward to something. The ultimate thing to look forward to is heaven and our eternity with God. Jesus said, ^“In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” That is something worth looking forward to. That is something that will bring you joy!

I know they have a good heart, but I think it is misguided. I’m talking about all those plans and people who urge you to read the Bible through in one year. I love the intention. They want people to get into the Word, but reading the Word and getting into the Word is not the same thing.

Every day I read a chapter, outline the chapter, and then write “Brief Notes” on that chapter. I know that is more than some folks are up to right now. Some might be better off if they read the chapter, then mediated on the chapter and picked out a couple of guiding thoughts to remember. Whatever you choose to do with the Word, you should do more than just read the Bible through in one year. The thought of one year is an artificial time. Read the Bible every day. Reflect on the Word every day. Make the Word a part of your life every day.

If you do that, I don’t care whether you read the Bible through in 1 year or 3 years. By the way, if you read just a chapter a day you will read the Bible through in 3.25 years (or 1189 days).