Genesis 29: 31-35
These scriptures hold the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel. Jacob was a twin born of Isaac and Rebekah. Leah and Rachel were the daughters of Laban. Now Jacob comes to Laban's land because his mother has warned him to flee from the wrath of his brother, but she has told his father that she wants him to go away to find a wife. Jacob, with the assistance of his mother, conned his way into Esau’s blessing as their father lay dying. Of course when Esau finds out he is hurt, confused, and highly upset. (But can you blame him?) Jacob, the trickster, had gotten one over on him again! So Jacob goes into the land of Laban to hide out while his brother calms down. (Doesn’t this sound like a soap opera?)
While in the land of his father, Jacob meets and fell in love with Rachel, Laban’s youngest daughter. He loved her so much that agreed to work for Laban for 7 years for her hand in marriage. Now that’s love. At the end of the 7 years Laban put together a wedding feast for the couple to celebrate. But late that night instead of taking Rachel to Jacob’s bed, Laban took his oldest daughter Leah. So Jacob, not realizing what had happened, slept with Leah. When he woke up the next morning you can only imagine the look of shock on his face as rolled over and there lay LEAH. So he went to Laban and asked “why did you trick me?” May I take one moment and say how amusing it is that the trickster has been tricked? I mean this is the equivalent to a conman being conned. The things you reap can be crazier than you could have ever imagined.
After being asked what happen Laban responded that their custom was to marry the eldest daughter off first and then the youngest daughter. Jacob was so hype about getting to Rachel he never took the time to research the rules and regulation for the place he resided. Do you have customs that you alert people to when they enter your space or home? Are those customs clear? Furthermore, have you taken some time out to research and find out about the customs, rules, and regulations for the places you go and for the people you hang out with? What I mean by that is what are your friendships costing you? Do the terms of your relationship have loopholes that could bring harm to your front door? It is best to ask those questions up front. The lack of knowledge is deadly. In the end the consequence to not knowing the customs of the land caused Jacob to work another 7 years (to total 14 years) to receive Rachel as his second wife.
Verses 31-35 speak of Leah’s mission to make Jacob love her more than he loved her sister. As twisted as it is, Leah has been placed in a losing battle. She felt that if she could give him a son that he would love her more than her sister. Within these verses Leah had 4 sons. After the first three she rejoiced because each time she felt that she would receive her husband’s affection, which is a manipulative tactic. The scriptures never notes any change in his love for Leah. I want you to ponder this: What are you continuously becoming pregnant with, carrying, and birthing that you are using as a tool of manipulation to make someone else react to you differently? Is it really worth it? Why do we carry things that we aren’t supposed to carry just to make others in our lives happy?
Oddly enough after the birth of the fourth son, Leah’s attitude changes (for a short period of time). Instead of her focusing on her husband and his love, she turns her response to the provider of her children. In verse 35 names her child Judah, “for she said, ‘Now I will praise the Lord.’” The tool of manipulation was disarmed and she was able to rejoice about her son being born.
Something in her clicked, and the moment her perspective changed was the moment she changed her thinking from competitive to contentment. She was content with the blessing of children that God had given her in a moment when her husband didn’t really love her the way she thought he ought to. She found a peace in her current situation. No matter what situation you are in or are placed in you can find a place of peace and contentment. Be honest and ask yourself, what area of your life are you lacking contentment? Why are you not content?
1 Timothy 6:7-9 (NLT) states:
Divine
These scriptures hold the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel. Jacob was a twin born of Isaac and Rebekah. Leah and Rachel were the daughters of Laban. Now Jacob comes to Laban's land because his mother has warned him to flee from the wrath of his brother, but she has told his father that she wants him to go away to find a wife. Jacob, with the assistance of his mother, conned his way into Esau’s blessing as their father lay dying. Of course when Esau finds out he is hurt, confused, and highly upset. (But can you blame him?) Jacob, the trickster, had gotten one over on him again! So Jacob goes into the land of Laban to hide out while his brother calms down. (Doesn’t this sound like a soap opera?)
While in the land of his father, Jacob meets and fell in love with Rachel, Laban’s youngest daughter. He loved her so much that agreed to work for Laban for 7 years for her hand in marriage. Now that’s love. At the end of the 7 years Laban put together a wedding feast for the couple to celebrate. But late that night instead of taking Rachel to Jacob’s bed, Laban took his oldest daughter Leah. So Jacob, not realizing what had happened, slept with Leah. When he woke up the next morning you can only imagine the look of shock on his face as rolled over and there lay LEAH. So he went to Laban and asked “why did you trick me?” May I take one moment and say how amusing it is that the trickster has been tricked? I mean this is the equivalent to a conman being conned. The things you reap can be crazier than you could have ever imagined.
After being asked what happen Laban responded that their custom was to marry the eldest daughter off first and then the youngest daughter. Jacob was so hype about getting to Rachel he never took the time to research the rules and regulation for the place he resided. Do you have customs that you alert people to when they enter your space or home? Are those customs clear? Furthermore, have you taken some time out to research and find out about the customs, rules, and regulations for the places you go and for the people you hang out with? What I mean by that is what are your friendships costing you? Do the terms of your relationship have loopholes that could bring harm to your front door? It is best to ask those questions up front. The lack of knowledge is deadly. In the end the consequence to not knowing the customs of the land caused Jacob to work another 7 years (to total 14 years) to receive Rachel as his second wife.
Verses 31-35 speak of Leah’s mission to make Jacob love her more than he loved her sister. As twisted as it is, Leah has been placed in a losing battle. She felt that if she could give him a son that he would love her more than her sister. Within these verses Leah had 4 sons. After the first three she rejoiced because each time she felt that she would receive her husband’s affection, which is a manipulative tactic. The scriptures never notes any change in his love for Leah. I want you to ponder this: What are you continuously becoming pregnant with, carrying, and birthing that you are using as a tool of manipulation to make someone else react to you differently? Is it really worth it? Why do we carry things that we aren’t supposed to carry just to make others in our lives happy?
Oddly enough after the birth of the fourth son, Leah’s attitude changes (for a short period of time). Instead of her focusing on her husband and his love, she turns her response to the provider of her children. In verse 35 names her child Judah, “for she said, ‘Now I will praise the Lord.’” The tool of manipulation was disarmed and she was able to rejoice about her son being born.
Something in her clicked, and the moment her perspective changed was the moment she changed her thinking from competitive to contentment. She was content with the blessing of children that God had given her in a moment when her husband didn’t really love her the way she thought he ought to. She found a peace in her current situation. No matter what situation you are in or are placed in you can find a place of peace and contentment. Be honest and ask yourself, what area of your life are you lacking contentment? Why are you not content?
1 Timothy 6:7-9 (NLT) states:
7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.So as long as our needs are met we should be content. We have been provided with that and so much more, so why is it so hard for us to find that place of contentment? Take a moment today and be thankful that you have your needs and some, if not all, of your wants met. How can you stop the competitive thinking and starting operating from a thankful, grateful, content heart? From contentment comes peace, from peace is freedom, and in the end we are suppose to have all three. I choose to be content, peaceful, and free in my now for the simple fact that God continues to be God guide my every step.
Divine
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