This truly blessed me and I just wanted to share it.
By gcmwatch– August 3, 2011
Posted in: Bible Study, biblical exposition, Headline, scripture application, series
The drama in this story is so crazy it sounds like some cable TV reality show. But its not, its true, recorded in Genesis 29:16-35; 30:1-12 Note: the scripture doesn’t tell the story in true chronological form.
In summary, a man has got two women —two sisters— but he’s playing one of them. Having babies by her but not giving her the love she truly wants from him. She’s definitely not the woman of his dreams. Even after popping out healthy kids for him, she still cant get his love. His heart is with the other woman. The beautiful younger sister takes his breath away. But wait, there’s a problem. The other woman isn’t as sexually fertile as the one he doesn’t love. It gets so crazy between the three of them, even other women are brought in to be surrogate lovers.
Amid the many larger than life narratives in the Old Testament, the story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah is perhaps one of the more poignant ones. They are all, in a way, caught up in the drama, victimized and in the process passing on the hurt, pain and mistrust even to their offspring.
In the end, the lesson learned by Leah and its revelatory resolution sticks out as one we all can take a moment to pay attention to.
The hurt inflicted upon Leah is obvious. Of no fault of her own, she is diminished and rejected despite her attempts to give Jacob what she thinks he wants. But from the beginning, Jacob never wanted to be with her.
When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” vs 25
You probably know people in this situation right now as youre reading this. You may have been there yourself. Trying to please someone, doing your best, but when you look in their eyes you can tell they aren’t happy. I’ve been there. You see it in the church as well as in the world. People are wasting away trying to get something that will never produce what they think it should. It doesn’t matter if its a family member, friend, spouse, a pastor or a child some people will never be satisfied with you or what you do to win their affection.
This can cause a tremendous amount of emotional pain and lead to patterns of broken relationships.
This may be more about learning who truly matters and who truly loves you more than anything. In our hearts, there is a place that can only be filled by the love of God. Its a place where the pains of our past must give way to praise because we finally realize that nobody can love us like Jesus can.
Verse 31 says that when GOD saw that Leah was unloved he caused her to concieve, but Rachel, the apple of Jacob’s eye, remained childless. Leah’s focus wasnt on God (like many of us) it was on getting a man to love her. When their first son was born, she knew that things would change
Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,[b] for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” vs 32
But it didn’t and eventually bitterness overtook her.
Don’t think that Rachel was unaffected just because she had Jacob’s affection. Not being able to bear him children, ate her up inside. Despite Jacob’s love she attacked him about it. It was considered a shame upon a woman not to be able to bear children for her husband.
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” Gen 30:1-2
Sometimes it takes us having to go through something to experience an irrevocable shift in our understanding. We come to the end of ourselves. That’s what happened for Leah.
33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.
34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
When will you learn what God is trying to show you? Will you continue pursuing people, things, places, positions, popularity, giving up your body, your heart your soul to someone or something that will not love you back? And please don’t think this is a woman thing. Many men are emotionally and relationally broken as well.
If you can see what Leah finally saw, you can come to the same conclusion. Finally she realized that she could release herself from pining after Jacob and began praising God.
Some people think that praise is some sort of religious get out of jail free card. While there are examples in scripture of praise releasing people from certain threats and bondages, its still not the purpose of praise. Praise isn’t intended to stop a problem, what it does is reposition your mind on God who is greater than your problem, whatever that might be. If God stops an entire army after you praise him that’s great. But even if he doesn’t do it, He’s still worthy. That’s what praise teaches you, no matter what happens or doesnt happen, God is still worthy to be praised.
Praise ascribes the worth to God for his mighty works. The benefit you get is that in the praise you (not necessarily your situation) are transformed.
That’s why King David had such a reputation as a man who gave God the praise. His life was riddled with troubles and issues. But in the midst of it all he blessed the Lord out of his soul, indeed all that was within him.
Remember Jacob still didn’t love Leah when she decided that she would praise God, but guess what? Seeking his love was no longer her objective. Her focus now was exalting God who was greater than Jacob and greater than her past pain.
No comments:
Post a Comment