Genesis 30:19-24
Leah conceived again
and bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a
precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have
borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.
Sometime later she
gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
Then God remembered
Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. She became pregnant and
gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” She named him
Joseph, and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”
Comments
Jacob’s family was now almost complete with four mothers,
eleven sons and a daughter. And what a family it was!
- Leah, the wife given to Jacob by her father’s deception, knew the pain of being unwanted and unloved. Every son to whom she gave birth renewed her hope of earning her husband’s love and respect.
- Bilhah and Zilpah, servants of Rachel and Leah, knew the pain of living as unloved slaves who lacked even the right to name the children born to them.
- Rachel, the wife whom Jacob loved, knew the pain of being childless for years and the agony of watching other women give her husband the children he wanted. Even as she finally gave birth, she was praying for yet another son, not knowing that the birth of Benjamin would come at the cost of her life.
How ironic that a family whose love and happiness were in
such short supply should become the people through whom God’s unconditional
love and blessing should ultimately be revealed.
Reflections
It is not unusual for people to spend their entire lives
seeking the love and approval of others. Does such a description fit you or
have you been fortunate to have known the joy of being loved unconditionally?
Prayer
Blessed are you, O
Lord our God, King of the universe, whose love is beyond anything we could
ever earn or deserve.
I was fortunate to grow up in a family who expressed unconditional love. We were told, "we may be angry with you, but we still love you." My father would tell anyone, "your kids are your kids, no matter what". He was very protective of his family and friends. We kids were taught to behave accordingly. Did I try to please my parents? Not really. I felt I could do my own "thing". My natural inclination is to perform well in anything I attempt. Not because I have to be the winner, but because my parents taught me to do my best. If I did my best, it was good enough. That is an expression of unconditional love. Am I a people pleaser? Not really. I have been taught to be diplomatic, but to speak honestly. Thankfully as a result of my parent's teaching and guidance, I have grown into a person who leads, because I love it. Not to win, but to have the satisfaction of motivating others to do their best. To teach people that having faults is fine, and that is YOU, period. My father always said, "God, make us ever mindful of others." Every single person has this capacity. Have I tried to please someone? Sure. But it doesn't feel right to me. I have to remember that we are all God's creation, and to be anything less than who He has created in His image, is not serving a God who loves us unconditionally.
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