Scripture
Genesis 29:14-35
In Genesis 29, we see the story of Jacob marrying Leah and Rachel. Rachel was so beautiful and Jacob fell in love with her basically right when he saw her, so he told his Uncle Laban that he would work for 7 years in order to marry Rachel. Laban agreed, so Jacob went to work. The author said that the 7 years only felt like a few days because of his love for her. Finally, the day came when his time was up, they had a great feast, but that evening, Laban brought his oldest daughter, Leah, to Jacob instead of Rachel.
Jacob didn’t realize this until they woke up the next morning and he was furious, understandably. He went to Laban who said that it’s not their custom to marry the youngest off first, but if he finishes Leah’s bridal week, then he can marry Rachel and just work for another 7 years after that. Jacob agrees and does just that. Genesis 29:30 says that “his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.”
I wonder how Leah felt in this situation. She knew Jacob loved her sister and that he was working 7 years for her hand in marriage. Did her dad even give her an option that night? It just says “he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.” I really don’t think she had a choice in the matter, but it was done, and she was now married. And then a week later, he marries her sister, the one he actually loved. I’m sure that was so hard on her. She knew she wasn’t loved by her husband. He loved another woman, who he now married, so is she just going to be invisible the rest of her life?
We see in verse 31, “When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.” How beautiful is that? God saw that Leah was not loved by her husband. He saw her pain, loneliness, hurting, her misery, so he gave her a child. I don’t think she realized that though. I’m guessing she was excited to finally have something her sister didn’t. Rachel may be beautiful and have the love of Jacob, but at least Leah could get pregnant. That’s the one thing she could think of to help solve her problem of feeling unloved—having kids.
Her first son, she named Reuben, and said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” Oh, sweet Leah. She is hoping that her husband will love her now because she gave him a son. But that didn’t solve things. So, she tried again. She had another son and named him Simeon, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” Then, a third, Levi, hoping still that her husband will become attached to her.
Then came her fourth son, Judah, and with him she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” With Judah came a shift in perspective it seems, which we see in the names of her sons. She went from feeling sorry for herself for not being loved by her husband, and hoping that having kids would make him love her, to then with her last son saying, “This time I will praise the Lord.” She shifted her gaze from her circumstances and wanting her husband’s attention and affection, to God and praising him, even though her circumstances didn’t change.
The story of Leah really stood out to me this week in a way it never has before. He chose this woman who was not loved by her husband, yet she was deeply loved by God. He saw her, heard her, and blessed her with many children. Most importantly, God chose one of her sons, Judah, and therefore her as well, to be in the lineage of Jesus. Yes, God still loved Rachel and gave her two sons later. But he chose Judah, Leah’s son. Jesus is from the line of Judah. This is such a beautiful picture of God’s redemption, one that Leah didn’t even get to see. She may have gone her whole life feeling unloved, at least by her husband, but the beautiful story God was writing her was just beginning.
When we feel unloved by others, we need to be reminded of God’s great love for us. He loves us no matter what. He sees us, hears us, and is working for our good because he loves us. He loves you. God is in the business of loving those who are seemingly unlovable.
Prayer
God, thank you for loving the unlovable. Thank you for loving me. In those moments when I feel invisible, overlooked, left out, or not loved, remind me how you feel about me. Remind me of your deep, overwhelming, beautiful love for me.
Questions/Journal Prompts
Feel free to use these questions as a guide as you journal and/or pray.
1. Are there moments or days when you don’t feel loved?
2. Is it easy or hard for you to believe that God loves you? Why is that?
3. Spend some time talking to God about your answer for #2.
Songs to listen to
Spend some time listening to these songs, reflecting on the words, and sitting with Jesus.
“Loved” by Fresh Life Worship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUrAmDL-bgY
“I Am Loved” by Mack Brock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OmYhgvwQa8
“Dearly Loved” by Shaylee Simeone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulb5VbWY7ms
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