Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 30-31.
After Leah bore four sons to Jacob (Genesis 29:31-35), her sister Rachel was jealous, wishing she would also be able to bear children. Her emotions got the best of her. She demanded of Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die” (Genesis 30:1). Jacob reminded her that he was not in the place of God; therefore, he could only do so much (Genesis 30:2).
After this, Rachel gives Jacob her handmaid and she bore him two sons (Genesis 30:3-8). Then Leah gave him her handmaid and she bore two more sons (Genesis 30:9-13). Later, Leah bore Jacob another two sons and a daughter (Genesis 30:17-21). All the while, Rachel was barren. Then, at last, God allowed her to conceive.
“So she conceived and bore a son and said, ‘God has taken away my reproach.’ She named him Joseph, saying, ‘May the Lord give me another son’” (Genesis 30:23-24).
She recognized that God had finally blessed her (“God has taken away my reproach“), even though she had to exercise great patience in waiting on His blessing.
It is also interesting that at this time, instead of focusing only on the new baby she had long anticipated, she expressed her confidence that God would bless her again, and looked forward to that time (“May the Lord give me another son“).
God does not always bless us when and how we prefer. But He does bless us greatly and will continue to do so.
Tomorrow’s reading: Genesis 32-34
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
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