Genesis 29:30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
This situation is a gigantic mess. The only one who comes out of it completely happy is Laban because he now has two married daughters. Leah, who may be happy that she is no longer an “old maid” is definitely not happy at the fact that she is obviously not the beloved wife. Jacob and Rachel don’t seem to try to hide that fact at all.
Genesis 29:31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.
I would need a lot of therapy to move past the bitterness and anger of this entire situation. Honestly, if I were Leah, Rachel, or Jacob, I think I would struggle mightily as this mess could have so easily been avoided. I think my propensity towards anger and bitterness, towards blame and frustration is what God wants me to pay attention to in today’s scripture.
Genesis 29:32a Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,
Precious Savior, I know that anger and bitterness are not the right way to react. Those emotions have the potential to corrode every good thing in my life, yet they are so often default emotions. Help me to change my default in situations that make me angry and bitter. Help me to be more like You. Amen.
Genesis 29:32b …for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
Have a blessed day.