Leah, The Unloved wife (Genesis 29:31-32)

 

31. But because Leah was unloved, the Lord let her have a child, while Rachel was childless.  32. So Leah became pregnant and had a son.  She named him Reuben, for she said, "The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me."  (Genesis 29:31-32)

Have you been weary, lately?  Weariness is very common these days,  especially during this pandemic.  Visibly, a lot of us have become weary of all these restrictions and its endlessness, but take heart.  God is still in control.

Apart from that, how are you doing?  How will you feel loved?  In your own words, what does love feel like?  Not all of us can become pregnant and men in particular can't relate to Leah.  I realize that!

Nevertheless, my question to you is:  How will you ever know you are loved 'enough'.  After having born three children to Jacob, she was still  unsure of being loved.  Here we see God's great love toward the 'unloved', the 'depressed' in society.  Obviously, God bends down toward them and consider and meet their needs.  Leah which means 'weary' was in need of love but, focused on getting it from her husband.  Love to her meant 'having children' and for her husband to appreciate her.  Rachel was her sister and she was obviously more attractive than Leah.  There was a big competition between the two for Jacob.  God had a plan though and in the end we see that God used all these women for his glory.  If you keep reading to the end, those two sisters and servants came up with the foundation for the nation of Israel, 12 tribes in all.  Amazingly, Leah started it all even though she was the weary one and unloved wife.  This alone should be an encouragement to all.  Here we have an important lesson to learn:  The Lord will never use you the most, when you feel your best and you are ready to serve him with all your heart, but in the times of your greatest weaknesses.  Evidently, when the bottom fall out and you are ready to give it all up.   Sometimes that's the only way he can humble you, so you will listen.  Take heart, God is not finished with you yet even though you might feel unloved and rejected.  What matters is the love he has for you.  You must firmly believe in this love.