Leah's Legacy

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Hi I’m Christin Ditchfield with Take It To Heart Ministries. Remember the story of Rachel and Leah in the Bible? Jacob was very much in love with Rachel, but was tricked into marrying her older sister Leah first.

The two sisters constantly competed for their husband’s love and attention. Leah was the loser right from the start. Jacob had never loved or wanted her. Rachel now deeply resented her.

In Genesis 29:11, it says the Lord saw that Leah was “hated” – and He had compassion on her. He gave her children, something Rachel didn’t have. Leah was thrilled. She thought that by producing Jacob’s first heir, she would somehow earn his love and respect. She cried, “The Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” At the birth of her second son, she said, “The Lord has heard that I am hated and has given me this one, too.” When her third son was born, Leah exclaimed, “Now my husband will become attached to me, because I’ve born him three sons!” But Jacob’s feelings for Leah never changed.

Many of us can identify with her heartbreak. We, too, have experienced the pain of rejection --discovering as Leah did, that you can’t make someone love you. With the birth of her fourth son, Leah had a revelation. When Judah arrived, Leah said simply, “This time I will praise the Lord.”

You know, there’s just no point in trying to earn love and acceptance from those who are unwilling or unable to give it. The effort will only leave you frustrated, exhausted, empty, and depressed. God says He has loved you with an everlasting love. That you are precious to Him. Don’t look to others for approval or affirmation. Instead, turn to your Heavenly Father and say, “This time, I will praise the Lord.”