This post is part of a series based on the book ‘For Such A Time As This‘ by Angie Smith.
So, I *may* have a thing about reading about my name sake in the Bible and I *may* love that now that I’m older and hopefully wiser that I don’t just see her as a sad woman whose her husband would never love.
Now I see her in a totally different light, thanks in large part to The Jesus Storybook Bible (and I wrote about the super tear-stained reading experience here). So I hope you’ll pardon my skipping (at least for now) of the other matriarchs and jumping in with Leah. Ok, thanks. 🙂
As you may or may not know, Leah was Jacob/Israel’s first wife. She was the mother of his first four sons. However her husband, who was pretty good at tricking people himself, had been tricked into marrying her when he really wanted to marry her younger sister. So after working for 7 years for the sister he wanted, he got the one he didn’t. And no amount of son-birthing was going to redeem her in her husband’s eyes.
And you know that had to cause tension at home between Leah and Rachel, her sister, and the two servants they gave to their husband to bear more sons on their behalf, and then among the children themselves. I can’t imagine there was very much shalom in the home. (O man, I made a Hebrew joke and NAILED IT. Moving on…)
And this tension among the boys didn’t go away once they were grown and we even see it among the tribes – in Egypt and in the Promised Land.
So what does this have to do with Leah? Ok, so Leah had four boys right? Thinking that each one will finally endear her husband’s heart to hers. 1st son, nope. 2nd son, nope. 3rd, still nope. And the fourth one, the fourth one is special.
She realized that it isn’t her husband giving her sons, but God and that even though it’s hard, she needs God’s love and approval, even if she never gets her husband’s. So she names him Judah – “This time I will praise the Lord”
Now I have no doubt that she still probably wondered if she would ever be chosen. (For Such A Time As This, p44). That’s human nature. What she didn’t see – what none of us can see – is what that seed of faithfulness is able to grow in to.
(I’m about to Old Testament geek on you so buckle up your camels and enjoy the ride.)
So when Israel was on his death bed after being reunited with Joseph in Egypt, it was time to give his sons their blessings. And a lot of poop had hit the fan back home and Reuben’s firstborn blessing was given to Joseph and his sons instead.
But the blessing that Judah got was incredible. And included things like his brothers bowing down to him, the scepter not passing from him, and his good health. (Genesis 49)
Now Judah wasn’t perfect, in fact his line was redeemed by a faithful act by his daughter-in-law, Tamar. (Genesis 38) So just like all of us, he messed up. He made mistakes. And yet, he gave those mistakes to God and strove to be faithful. His life changed.
All those years before when Leah sat with him, rocking him to sleep and praising God for another son and what he might grow up to be, she also wondered if she would ever be chosen.
And God softened her heart to hear what He longs for all of us to hear.
You already have been chosen, My Beloved.
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mariajj2555 says
I am reading a book by Angie Smith called: “What Women Fear”. I am relating to it. It could be a good “Book Club pick”. In any case, it is worth reading.