Today during prayer I was listening to Misty Edwards, an awesome worship leader from ihop (International House of Prayer) and God reminded me of Jesus’ ancestory. Instantly, I realized how much God really works through the unwanted.
Lets look at Judah; 4th son of Leah and Jacob.
Genesis 29:9-35- Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, the second daughter of Laban, and promised to work in Laban’s fields for seven years. When seven years was up the marriage ceremonies began, but Laban gave Leah, Rachel’s older sister, over to Jacob in marriage not Rachel saying that it is tradition to marry off the eldest daughter first. The next morning when Jacob realized that it was Leah and not Rachel that he had married he was not happy. Jacob had worked seven years to marry Rachel and yet he got Leah. Jacob being so in love with Rachel worked yet another seven years for Rachel, the one he wanted.
This is a great representation of love, a man working double just to be with the woman he loved…but what about Leah? I am sure she did not like the idea of being given to a man who wouldn’t want her. Yet, she remained loyal in her marriage to Jacob and was a great wife. She gave him a son, Reuben, something Rachel had yet to do, with the hope that Jacob could finally love her; no such luck. She gave birth to yet another son, Simeon, saying “The Lord has seen that I am not loved so he has given me this son.” Leah had a third son, Levi, and thought that jacob must love me now because I have given him three sons while Rachel has given him none. The last son Leah birthed she called Judah and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.”
Leah surrendered the idea that she could be satisfied and fulfilled with the love of a man and grasped onto the hope that God is more than sufficent for her to feel love. With the birth of Judah she realized the blessings God had given her with her sons, gave her love and took away the pain of her being second best.
Later, God blesses Leah further still with the birth of His Son Jesus being in the line of Judah. When you are loyal in what God gives you and surrender to Him, His love and purpose, He will bless you beyond measure and will continue to bless you and your future.
Within His Grace,
Christina
