Nature abhors a vacuum. We like to finish people’s sentences and thoughts for them if they are too slow to come up with the words. Stopping in the middle of a song leaves us hanging or ending on a minor chord, uneasy. We read to finish books and sometimes skip to the end to see how it turns out. And I can remember several times in the movie theatre when the story ended with the plot unresolved, priming the pump for a sequel. A very unsatisfactory experience.
Leah’s story is a song half-sung. An unfinished, unresolved account of an unloved and unknown daughter of Laban. She is mentioned for the first time during the marriage negotiation of her younger sister, Rachel, to Jacob (Genesis 29). For seven years she watches Jacob lovingly labor for his new bride and then is deceptively substituted for the marriage consummation. Imagine the surprise of Jacob! But even more, imagine the rejection of Leah as she witnesses Jacob’s realization that she was not the one desired. The bible simply states, “he (Jacob) loved Rachel more than Leah… the Lord saw that Leah was hated…”
As a father, I want to wrap my arms around Leah and say “I will love you. Come be my daughter.” And while I can sympathize with Jacob’s predicament, I just want to scream…. “Please love her.” I would like to see a resolution to Leah’s struggle but I can’t find it in scripture. There is no removal of the sibling wife rivalry, and in fact, it continues to present itself throughout her story. A life-long struggle with no Prince Charming to the rescue.
Leah’s personal struggle as she seeks to be loved is revealed in the naming of her first three sons fathered by Jacob:
We never see Leah being loved by her husband and God never took her out of her environment or ‘fixed’ her issue. As far as we know, she was always second fiddle to Rachel, her younger sister. It is an unfinished song, leaving us hanging in the middle of an unresolved chord.
While God did not change Leah’s situation, it seems He was able to change her heart and gives us a truth to grasp and a future hope. This change of heart in Leah is revealed on the birth of her 4th son, Judah.
Often in my daily problems I yearn for resolution and wonder at the frustration and difficulties that God walks me through. While there are periods of calm, my short-term view has me seeking an immediate solution or removal of the issue so I can ‘enjoy’ life. But honestly, there will always be another problem or difficulty and it is only when I acknowledge God that I find satisfaction and rest. Like Leah, when I look to God for all my needs, I find God is more than enough. Chris Tomlin wrote a song that echoes these thoughts. So I hope this song gets lodged in your memory through the coming weeks.
Leah’s story is a song half-sung. An unfinished, unresolved account of an unloved and unknown daughter of Laban. She is mentioned for the first time during the marriage negotiation of her younger sister, Rachel, to Jacob (Genesis 29). For seven years she watches Jacob lovingly labor for his new bride and then is deceptively substituted for the marriage consummation. Imagine the surprise of Jacob! But even more, imagine the rejection of Leah as she witnesses Jacob’s realization that she was not the one desired. The bible simply states, “he (Jacob) loved Rachel more than Leah… the Lord saw that Leah was hated…”
As a father, I want to wrap my arms around Leah and say “I will love you. Come be my daughter.” And while I can sympathize with Jacob’s predicament, I just want to scream…. “Please love her.” I would like to see a resolution to Leah’s struggle but I can’t find it in scripture. There is no removal of the sibling wife rivalry, and in fact, it continues to present itself throughout her story. A life-long struggle with no Prince Charming to the rescue.
Leah’s personal struggle as she seeks to be loved is revealed in the naming of her first three sons fathered by Jacob:
- Reuben - “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
- Simeon - “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.”
- Levi - “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.”
We never see Leah being loved by her husband and God never took her out of her environment or ‘fixed’ her issue. As far as we know, she was always second fiddle to Rachel, her younger sister. It is an unfinished song, leaving us hanging in the middle of an unresolved chord.
While God did not change Leah’s situation, it seems He was able to change her heart and gives us a truth to grasp and a future hope. This change of heart in Leah is revealed on the birth of her 4th son, Judah.
“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” (Genesis 29:35).Leah turns her labor from trying to earn love and acceptance from her husband, to trust and praise in Her God. “This time I will praise the Lord”. She ceased striving to earn love and accepts the love of God. She physically and spiritually ‘ceased bearing’ and recognizes that God is enough for all her needs.
Often in my daily problems I yearn for resolution and wonder at the frustration and difficulties that God walks me through. While there are periods of calm, my short-term view has me seeking an immediate solution or removal of the issue so I can ‘enjoy’ life. But honestly, there will always be another problem or difficulty and it is only when I acknowledge God that I find satisfaction and rest. Like Leah, when I look to God for all my needs, I find God is more than enough. Chris Tomlin wrote a song that echoes these thoughts. So I hope this song gets lodged in your memory through the coming weeks.
All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You are my supply
My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
worth living for
And still more awesome than I know
All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
