Since being on the race Satan has does a good job of making me feel ill equipped. Not qualified. Not good enough. It’s a battle of self daily. There is an internal war going on between flesh and spirit everyday, and we are called to battle. My battle is constantly against myself, whether I am good enough, spiritual enough, pretty enough, strong enough, loved enough etc. I often wonder what my purpose is and I wonder if I will ever be enough to someone.
I can relate to a girl we read about in Genesis. Leah.
Leah was the daughter of a man named Laban. She was the sister of Rachel. And she eventually ended up being the wife Jacob.
Jacob loved Rachel Leah’s sister. He said he didn’t marvel at Leah’s appearance but said Rachel was beautiful and had a lovely figure. He made a deal with Laban the girls’s father, “I will work for you for seven years in return for your daughter Rachel.” Jacob lived with and worked for Laban for the full seven years and eagerly awaited her hand in marriage. Jacob was ready to make love to Rachel but in the night Laban switched Rachel for Leah and so Jacob slept with the older daughter Leah not his beloved Rachel.
Jacob inquired of Laban angrily “what is this you have done to me? I have served you for Rachel!!” “Why did you deceive me?” Apparently it was custom to marry the older daughter first. But Laban said “if you finish the bridal week with Leah then you can also have Rachel in return for ANOTHER seven years of labor.”
He deeply desired to have Rachel as his wife so he completed his labors and took Rachel’s hand in marriage. We read that Jacob made love to Rachel and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah.
I can imagine how Leah felt.
Unloved. Unworthy. forgotten. Always being compared to Rachel.
When God saw that Leah was not feeling loved he enabled her to conceive. (Prior to this she was barren)
Long story short, Leah was desperate for love and affection from Jacob, so she would conceive and bear more children sure that each time he would see her. Notice her. Love her.
Leah bore Jacob six sons. She was certain Jacob would treat her with honor for this.
But Jacob still loved and desired Rachel.
I admire Leah’s faithfulness, even though she felt unloved, unworthy, and forgotten she praised God. She loved God. And she served God.
The little girl who didn’t think she would amount to anything. She didn’t think she was beautiful. Worthy. Valued. Or loved. She thought Rachel was better. More beautiful. A prized possession to Jacob.
But Leah was a prized possession to God.
The little girl who thought she would never be anyone became a very important piece of history. Because of Leah. We are here. The lineage of our ancestors is due gratitude in large part to Leah.
God promised Abraham that his descendants would be identified through history by his son. He promised his descendants would be great and many. Through Abraham he and Sarah bore Isaac. Isaac and Rebekah gave birth to Esau and Jacob. Jacob slept with 4 women (one of which was Leah) who bore him many sons.
(This may seem like a history lesson, but stay with me! It gets good!)
These sons make up the 12 tribes of Israel. When the 12 tribes entered the promise land they eventually formed the nation of Israel under David and Solomon. This empire was soon divided by a Great War and developed into two tribes of the northern and southern kingdoms. The tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin. Judah was the fourth son Leah gave Jacob.
King David descended from the tribe of Judah and passed his reign down to King Solomon. There were many more sons who had sons and through a long line of genealogy we find that Jacob is the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary and Mary was the mother of Jesus who died to save the sins of the world.
(Are you getting this!?)
Leah stayed planted. She stayed faithful in prayer. Although she felt unloved and unworthy by Jacob, who wanted to be with Rachel. Leah just wanted to be pursued. Leah praised God anyway.
Thank god for Leah.
Leah invested in the things that outlived her. She praised God in the storm. She didn’t let her “feelings” rule her. It’s been said “our feelings are great teachers but they make horrible masters.” Feelings are LIARS. Don’t live based upon your feelings.
No matter what you feel about yourself. Know that God has divine purpose for you. You are apart of the genealogy of Jesus. You were adopted into his family and created for kingdom purpose.
Without Leah there would be no Levi. With Levi no Moses. Without Moses, no Ten Commandments no first five books of the New Testament.
Thank god for Leah.
No Judah. No boaz. No David. No Solomon. Which means No Proverbs Psalms or Ecclesiastes .
Thank god for Leah.
Without Joseph Mary and Jesus there would be no Christmas story. No resurrection. No Savior.
Thank God for Leah.
Rachel had a son Benjamin. And died giving birth to him. Her sister Leah raised Benjamin. And we now have the tribe of Benjamin. The apostle Paul was a descendant of the Benjamite tribe. Who wrote over 2/3s of the New Testament.
Thank god for Leah.
THANK GOD FOR LEAH.
There is bound to be one of the names from the sons of the tribes of Israel on the gates of heaven. Because of Leah.
Thank god for Leah.
If it wasn’t for this lineage we wouldn’t be here. There was divine purpose in this lineage of people and it leads all the way down to you and I. This has been comforting to me to know that before the world was put into orbit, he had my name written in his book of life. Your name. God is a generational God. He has been preparing long in advance for YOU and I to be here. For generations. And he had works planned far in advance for us to do. You don’t have to wonder if you have a purpose, if you’ll ever be enough. Put your hand on your heart. You feel that? It’s called purpose. If you woke up this morning he has work for you to do. And it doesn’t matter if you “feel” ill equipped. Pretty/ good looking enough. It doesn’t matter what your job title is. Your qualifications. Your past. Your present mood or future worries. It doesn’t matter how many followers you have or don’t have.
God wants you to know that you are enough. Right where you are. Exactly for who you are.
Because of a small girl who felt insignificant and of no value, we are able to call on a Savior and a Creator.
In Genesis 49 we wrap up the story. Jacob has instructed his sons on a burial plan. Jacob said” I am about to be gathered with my people…31 there Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there “I buried Leah” 33 when Jacob had finished giving his sons instructions he drew up his feet and breathed his last breath and was gathered with his people.”
He was buried right next to Leah.
Yes thank god for Leah. But thank God for you too. And for me. There are specific things he created us for that no other human was created to do. He had you in mind before the creation of anything. And wants to accomplish great things through you. Don’t count yourself out. Just thank God for all he has done in and through you, and for what’s to come and don’t forget to thank God for Leah.
