In Genesis 29 there's a powerful story of how deceptive Jacob got deceived and ended up with Leah rather than Rachel. It has always boggled my mind how that he could end up with the wrong women and not figure it out until the next day...guess it's that marital bliss thing!
What stands out to me is that sometimes in order to get where we want to go and obtain what we want to obtain we often have to accept things that don't necessarily appeal to us. The Bible says of Leah that she was tender eyed, I think there's an impression that she wasn't all that attractive, but at the same time she was productive...there was life in her that created life outside of her...she gave children to Jacob that produced a powerful inheritance and heritage. Rachel was gorgeous, but barren...sometimes those things that attract the attention of others outwardly have no inner life, are incapable of producing life outside of itself!
Because Jacob was faithful with Leah, he got Rachel, and in time she produced children as well. God will never give us Rachel until we have been faithful with Leah!
5 comments:
Darrell better just be faithful to me! NO other women allowed!
What is even more amazing about this story is that when Jacob died he wasn't buried near Rachel, but Leah...we are attached to those things and people that bring life into our lives!
Yes, Darrell better be good!
It is a fascinating story. Especially when you study the meanings of the names Leah gave each of her sons. It really indicates where she was spiritually.
Great minds must think alike. I was just reading this passage this morning. There is so much in this passage for us to glean out.
My pastor's brother from TX preached a message at the church a couple years ago spoke about Leah, how she had a son, and named him something after a hope that Jacob would love her finally. Rueben...see, a son! My man will love me now...Simeon...the Lord heard I was hated!...Levi...now my husband will be joined to me...and finally, something clicks inside Leah, when she names her final son Judah, "praise"...now I will praise the Lord. She eventually stopped trying to win Jacob's favor, and called it Praise.
And at the end, like you said Neil, Jacob said, "bury me next to Leah" (loose paraphrase).
Sometimes we need to take our hands off whatever situation and just call it praise, just praise God, because he is big enough to handle our problems.
Thanks for the reminder!
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