In everyone there is a thirst to be loved and accepted that is not always satisfied by others. Leah is an example of this. There was a woman who was desperate to be loved but no amount of her efforts worked to achieve it.
Jacob worked 7 years for Rachel's hand in marriage, but his deceitful future father-in-law substituted her old sister Leah who is described as "tender eyed." There are opinions on the exact meaning of this, but it is put in contrast to Rachel being beautiful and well-favoured. This suggests there was something about Leah's eyes which were not beautiful. Jacob was angry when he discovered Leah had been given to him in marriage, and a week later consummated a marriage with her sister Rachel. It says plainly in Genesis 29:30 Jacob "loved Rachel more than Leah." The rivalry would plague their relationship, and each tried to outdo the other.
God saw what was going on in Genesis 29:31-32: "When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, "The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me." It is hard for Leah being in a marriage where she was unloved, but she very much desired to be loved. Hoping to earn her husband's love was a chief pursuit for Leah. See Genesis 29:33-34: "Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon. 34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi." Having borne three sons, Leah hoped her husband would love and be attached to her. The KJV puts it, "joined unto me." The lack of love put distance between Jacob and Leah.
A day came when Ruben, Leah's firstborn, found mandrakes in a field. Rachel asked for them, hoping they would help her fertility issue. Leah's feelings are on display in Genesis 30:15, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes." Based upon this verse it seems Leah did not live or sleep with her husband, and she had to make a trade with Rachel for the privilege. Leah felt like her husband and his affections had been stolen away by her sister, for Rachel was loved and she was unloved. It is sad and tragic many people feel very much like Leah: hungry for love and acceptance, working hard to earn it, and never measuring up.
I wonder if this is how people feel who are looking for likes, acceptance, and even love online, posting pictures of themselves in exotic places or exposing their sculpted physique to attract followers. No matter how much a celebrity loves their fans, their fans love the persona or illusion more than the reality they cannot know from watching a film or performance. In relationships which turn abusive people still long for love; they desire another person to be joined to them in a friendship or romance. They give their hearts searching for "the one" who will love them against the odds and every previous experience only to be disappointed again.
How good it is when we realise God loves us by His grace and no one can separate us from His everlasting love! He loves the unloved and unlovable, having demonstrated His love through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for sinners. God loves us not because we have worked hard to earn it, nor could our weakness deter it: God loves us no matter what. This love cannot be earned but received through faith in Jesus Christ as we read in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." God didn't love the globe we call earth, but He loves all the people He created on the earth to know Him and be joined with Him forever. It is in God alone our thirst for love and acceptance is perfectly satisfied, and I hope Leah learned that.
Jacob worked 7 years for Rachel's hand in marriage, but his deceitful future father-in-law substituted her old sister Leah who is described as "tender eyed." There are opinions on the exact meaning of this, but it is put in contrast to Rachel being beautiful and well-favoured. This suggests there was something about Leah's eyes which were not beautiful. Jacob was angry when he discovered Leah had been given to him in marriage, and a week later consummated a marriage with her sister Rachel. It says plainly in Genesis 29:30 Jacob "loved Rachel more than Leah." The rivalry would plague their relationship, and each tried to outdo the other.
God saw what was going on in Genesis 29:31-32: "When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, "The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me." It is hard for Leah being in a marriage where she was unloved, but she very much desired to be loved. Hoping to earn her husband's love was a chief pursuit for Leah. See Genesis 29:33-34: "Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon. 34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi." Having borne three sons, Leah hoped her husband would love and be attached to her. The KJV puts it, "joined unto me." The lack of love put distance between Jacob and Leah.
A day came when Ruben, Leah's firstborn, found mandrakes in a field. Rachel asked for them, hoping they would help her fertility issue. Leah's feelings are on display in Genesis 30:15, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" And Rachel said, "Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son's mandrakes." Based upon this verse it seems Leah did not live or sleep with her husband, and she had to make a trade with Rachel for the privilege. Leah felt like her husband and his affections had been stolen away by her sister, for Rachel was loved and she was unloved. It is sad and tragic many people feel very much like Leah: hungry for love and acceptance, working hard to earn it, and never measuring up.
I wonder if this is how people feel who are looking for likes, acceptance, and even love online, posting pictures of themselves in exotic places or exposing their sculpted physique to attract followers. No matter how much a celebrity loves their fans, their fans love the persona or illusion more than the reality they cannot know from watching a film or performance. In relationships which turn abusive people still long for love; they desire another person to be joined to them in a friendship or romance. They give their hearts searching for "the one" who will love them against the odds and every previous experience only to be disappointed again.
How good it is when we realise God loves us by His grace and no one can separate us from His everlasting love! He loves the unloved and unlovable, having demonstrated His love through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for sinners. God loves us not because we have worked hard to earn it, nor could our weakness deter it: God loves us no matter what. This love cannot be earned but received through faith in Jesus Christ as we read in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." God didn't love the globe we call earth, but He loves all the people He created on the earth to know Him and be joined with Him forever. It is in God alone our thirst for love and acceptance is perfectly satisfied, and I hope Leah learned that.
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