“When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.” ~ Genesis 29:31, NKJV

Jacob the deceiver and supplanter met his comeuppance in Laban, his mother Rebekah's brother. Laban willingly lied to and cheated his nephew (though he ultimately lost more out of their relationship than Jacob did). After Jacob served him seven years for his daughter Rachel, Laban gave him Leah, Rachel's elder sister, instead. Jacob didn't discover the deception until morning, when he challenged his uncle's actions. Laban gave Rachel to Jacob as well as Leah (for another seven years' labor), and predictably, Jacob loved Rachel and did not love Leah. Leah had her own sins, but when reading Genesis 29, one cannot help but pity her. I love that the Lord brought balance to the situation by blessing Leah with many children. Leah and Rachel never had to compete with each other for God's love or favor. He sought the best for them both, working their sins and their husband's and father's together for good. I do not serve a God who is out for Himself, or a God who esteems people the way men esteem them; I serve a God who loves me unconditionally, unchangeably, and unreservedly. Abiding in His love brings the heart peace in the midst of a stormy, unkind, and tumultuous world.

by Rebecca