Leah
This year my goal is to read the entire Bible in chronological order, (though I have been SUCKING it up lately...)
I recently, like 3 weeks ago, came across the story of sweet Leah, in Genesis 29. My heart has felt like it is going to explode if I don't share this with you - and it isn't going away. So here is my sweet Leah...
Sweet Leah's story is one that I have read and heard preached only a few times, but in her story is mine, and I would guess her's holds parts of your's as well.
Long story short...
- Jacob wanted Rachel
- Jacob made a deal with Rachel's father, Laban, - he would work 7 years to have her
- Jacob works 7 years, but - PLOT TWIST - Rachel's father said to himself "My ugly, but older daughter Leah needs a man, and that ain't gon' happen any time soon sooo...hehe..."
- Jacob marries Leah but doesn't realize it until the "honeymoon" was over and he woke up the next day...
- Jacob, still married to Leah, works another 7 years to have Rachel as well
- Jacob marries Rachel
And this is where sweet Leah's story captivated my heart.
Now, chances are your dad isn't making some boy work for him to marry you, though that surly still happen in the world, probs not to you. But surly, you have found yourself feeling despised and rejected by someone who was meant to love you...someone you believed would come through for you.
Sweet Leah ran herself ragged wanting to catch a glimpse of the adoration Jacob had for her sister. In Genesis 29:31-35 holds the part of sweet Leah's story that brought me to tears and made me feel her story - my story - your story.
Sweet Leah had something valuable that her sister didn't, a fully functioning uterus. This was a direct blessing from the Lord - "When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren."
From the beginning of the Lord's blessings toward Leah, He was asking her to look to Him. Did He want Leah to feel loved? Absolutely. But he didn't soften Jacob's heart towards her or slip a love potion in his breakfast, He intentionally opened up her womb and allowed her the blessing of motherhood and a continued lineage.
"And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said 'Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me." Reuben translates to "see". Leah was seen fully by the Lord. Leah was fully aware that the Lord had seen her, she only hoped the blessings received would let her husband see her as well.
"She conceived again and bore a son, and said, 'Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, He has given me this son also.' And she called his name Simeon." Simeon, meaning heard, was another plea for sweet Leah. Again recognizing the God that continues to bless her, she wants and desires nothing more to be heard by her husband - who continues to shower a barren Rachel with adoration and love. Sweet Leah only wants to be seen and heard...
"Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, 'Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.' Therefore his name was called Levi." This time Leah names her son Attached. She is DESPERATE. She is desperate to be attached to something that won't flee. Desperate to be attached to something - known as something. She just wants to be attached to something that will give her a new name...
*this next verse always gives me chills and brings a tear to my eye... every time*
"And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, 'This time I will praise the Lord.' Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing." She got it. She caught a shadow of the blessings of God in the midst of pursuing adoration from man. She got it. And her response to this glimpse of grace - "PRAISE!" Same girl. Can't you just see this weary and broken woman looking to the heavens and through her tears saying "Praise!" I imagine she does it over and over, because that is what happens when you catch a glimpse of the Glory of God - it demands you take it in and - praise..
Do you see yourself in Leah's story, because I surly do. Chasing after the approval, adoration, attachment of man, even just a pat on the head like a dog, and running ragged and being let down again and again. Hear me though, I do believe the Lord places people in our lives to show us His glory and love tangibly, but I believe fully that the satisfaction our souls desire will only be found in the Grace and Glory of Christ. We were made to see that... to be satisfied in that. Sweet Leah, she finally got it.
Sweet Leah desired what we all do: to be fully known, and fully loved. To be SEEN for who she is - physically, mentally, spiritually...she just wanted to be seen. The Lord saw her. To be LOVED with a love that was unfailing, a love that she thought she saw her husband give her sister, but never cared to give her. But little did she know the Love that would be lavished upon her would be so much sweeter.
I wish I could hug sweet Leah, because I get it. We humans, we just want to be known and loved.
Some people, they just lay it all out there and I personally am NOT about that. They lay it all out there in hopes that someone will care enough to pick up some pieces and want to help put them together...(or attention, sometimes they just want attention and they don't have the slightest sense of how broken they are but that's another post for another day...)
Some people build walls, desperately trying to protect themselves from hurt, anger, let downs, and comfort...(My header is a brick wall because I thought it was pretty but uhh..there could be an underlying meaning..)
Neither are right, but both, at the end of the day, desire the same thing.
My friends, God wants to pick up your pieces and tear down your walls. He KNOWS you! Knows you like nobody, in the world can! He knows the depths of your heart, desires, sin, and NEWS FREAKING FLASH, He can see that you are much WORSE than you could even believe. You're worse than you think, and He knows it. But, my friends, He has a love He is lavishing upon you that you could never dream of in your wildest, childlike dreams. A love that turns to dancing and singing and shouting from rooftops. He is currently doing that because of His love for you if you are in Christ...like right now He is doing that..
He KNOWS you FULLY and LOVES you FULLY & PERFECTLY ANYWAY!
There will be people in your life that know you and love you, I have those people and man they are beautiful pictures of the Grace of God to me, but sometimes they walk away and they disappoint, and I find myself in a Leah kind of desperation for their love and affection, but I catch a glimpse of Him, and my heart soars.
So I say, praise. Praise be to the God who allows us to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, that we might catch a glimpse of a shadow of His glory. Praise to the God whose good and perfect gifts point to His glory and are meant for my good. Praise to the King who knows me fully and loves me perfectly. Praise to the one who is a stretcher for this broken girl.
I am Leah, so are you.
So I say "Praise"
I recently, like 3 weeks ago, came across the story of sweet Leah, in Genesis 29. My heart has felt like it is going to explode if I don't share this with you - and it isn't going away. So here is my sweet Leah...
Sweet Leah's story is one that I have read and heard preached only a few times, but in her story is mine, and I would guess her's holds parts of your's as well.
Long story short...
- Jacob wanted Rachel
- Jacob made a deal with Rachel's father, Laban, - he would work 7 years to have her
- Jacob works 7 years, but - PLOT TWIST - Rachel's father said to himself "My ugly, but older daughter Leah needs a man, and that ain't gon' happen any time soon sooo...hehe..."
- Jacob marries Leah but doesn't realize it until the "honeymoon" was over and he woke up the next day...
- Jacob, still married to Leah, works another 7 years to have Rachel as well
- Jacob marries Rachel
And this is where sweet Leah's story captivated my heart.
Now, chances are your dad isn't making some boy work for him to marry you, though that surly still happen in the world, probs not to you. But surly, you have found yourself feeling despised and rejected by someone who was meant to love you...someone you believed would come through for you.
Sweet Leah ran herself ragged wanting to catch a glimpse of the adoration Jacob had for her sister. In Genesis 29:31-35 holds the part of sweet Leah's story that brought me to tears and made me feel her story - my story - your story.
Sweet Leah had something valuable that her sister didn't, a fully functioning uterus. This was a direct blessing from the Lord - "When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren."
From the beginning of the Lord's blessings toward Leah, He was asking her to look to Him. Did He want Leah to feel loved? Absolutely. But he didn't soften Jacob's heart towards her or slip a love potion in his breakfast, He intentionally opened up her womb and allowed her the blessing of motherhood and a continued lineage.
"And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said 'Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me." Reuben translates to "see". Leah was seen fully by the Lord. Leah was fully aware that the Lord had seen her, she only hoped the blessings received would let her husband see her as well.
"She conceived again and bore a son, and said, 'Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, He has given me this son also.' And she called his name Simeon." Simeon, meaning heard, was another plea for sweet Leah. Again recognizing the God that continues to bless her, she wants and desires nothing more to be heard by her husband - who continues to shower a barren Rachel with adoration and love. Sweet Leah only wants to be seen and heard...
"Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, 'Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.' Therefore his name was called Levi." This time Leah names her son Attached. She is DESPERATE. She is desperate to be attached to something that won't flee. Desperate to be attached to something - known as something. She just wants to be attached to something that will give her a new name...
*this next verse always gives me chills and brings a tear to my eye... every time*
"And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, 'This time I will praise the Lord.' Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing." She got it. She caught a shadow of the blessings of God in the midst of pursuing adoration from man. She got it. And her response to this glimpse of grace - "PRAISE!" Same girl. Can't you just see this weary and broken woman looking to the heavens and through her tears saying "Praise!" I imagine she does it over and over, because that is what happens when you catch a glimpse of the Glory of God - it demands you take it in and - praise..
Do you see yourself in Leah's story, because I surly do. Chasing after the approval, adoration, attachment of man, even just a pat on the head like a dog, and running ragged and being let down again and again. Hear me though, I do believe the Lord places people in our lives to show us His glory and love tangibly, but I believe fully that the satisfaction our souls desire will only be found in the Grace and Glory of Christ. We were made to see that... to be satisfied in that. Sweet Leah, she finally got it.
Sweet Leah desired what we all do: to be fully known, and fully loved. To be SEEN for who she is - physically, mentally, spiritually...she just wanted to be seen. The Lord saw her. To be LOVED with a love that was unfailing, a love that she thought she saw her husband give her sister, but never cared to give her. But little did she know the Love that would be lavished upon her would be so much sweeter.
I wish I could hug sweet Leah, because I get it. We humans, we just want to be known and loved.
Some people, they just lay it all out there and I personally am NOT about that. They lay it all out there in hopes that someone will care enough to pick up some pieces and want to help put them together...(or attention, sometimes they just want attention and they don't have the slightest sense of how broken they are but that's another post for another day...)
Some people build walls, desperately trying to protect themselves from hurt, anger, let downs, and comfort...(My header is a brick wall because I thought it was pretty but uhh..there could be an underlying meaning..)
Neither are right, but both, at the end of the day, desire the same thing.
My friends, God wants to pick up your pieces and tear down your walls. He KNOWS you! Knows you like nobody, in the world can! He knows the depths of your heart, desires, sin, and NEWS FREAKING FLASH, He can see that you are much WORSE than you could even believe. You're worse than you think, and He knows it. But, my friends, He has a love He is lavishing upon you that you could never dream of in your wildest, childlike dreams. A love that turns to dancing and singing and shouting from rooftops. He is currently doing that because of His love for you if you are in Christ...like right now He is doing that..
He KNOWS you FULLY and LOVES you FULLY & PERFECTLY ANYWAY!
There will be people in your life that know you and love you, I have those people and man they are beautiful pictures of the Grace of God to me, but sometimes they walk away and they disappoint, and I find myself in a Leah kind of desperation for their love and affection, but I catch a glimpse of Him, and my heart soars.
So I say, praise. Praise be to the God who allows us to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, that we might catch a glimpse of a shadow of His glory. Praise to the God whose good and perfect gifts point to His glory and are meant for my good. Praise to the King who knows me fully and loves me perfectly. Praise to the one who is a stretcher for this broken girl.
I am Leah, so are you.
So I say "Praise"
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