Now I will Praise God

Me

Tomorrow is mother’s day, so today we are going to look at a mother’s story.

Unfortunately, women seem to take a back seat in scripture, but we are going to go deep into the lives of two women, whose lives are incredibly important not just for women but for men too.

We

I am so intrigued with how in tune mothers are with their children. From my observance, I have found that women are so in tune with their children and to me its mind boggling.

One of the things I love to do, is prove my mom wrong. I just love it. But all the while she shows me constantly that I am more and more like her.

I like to think that I am like my dad, because I have a closer relationship with my father. And in a lot of ways I am more like him than my mother.

But every now and then she shows me ways we are similar that I had absolutely no idea.

We will be on the phone every now and again and I will tell her something I discovered that I enjoyed or liked that I didn’t know it liked. She will tell me oh I always knew you liked that!

And I’m thinking how could she know? I am discovering it for the first time!

She would say, I know it because I love that too.

Mothers are closely in tune with their children. I will never understand that but the Bible describes it to us in detail.

God

We are going to spend some time with Rachel and Leah.

Jacob has just deceived Issac and Esau, and is now comes across the shepherdess Rachel. As soon as Jacob sees Rachel, he is drawn in with her beauty.

Rachel’s beauty inspires Jacob’s kindness. Isn’t this how it works? Why? Because great beauty inspires great kindness.

So Rachel brings Jacob to her father.

While Jacob is working for her father, Laban notices that Jacob has been working for free. So he wants to know what Jacob will work for.

What does Jacob want? None other than Rachel.

This is romance friends. Jacob is willing to work 7 years for his bride.

Genesis 29:20 ESV

20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

But Jacob the deceiver is tricked.

At the wedding night, Jacob is given Leah instead of Rachel.

And Jacob is disappointed.

In our first interaction with Leah Jacob, her new husband is disappointed.

Hopefully this didn’t happen to you.

Jacob works another 7 years for Rachel.

14 years in all.

But would he have done the same for Leah?

Throughout the next handful chapters we get a picture of what it looks like to be a wife of God’s servant.

Rachel and Leah are not twins, they are far from it.

While Rachel is beautiful in both appearance and form, Leah’s appearance doesn’t warrant a strong comment.

While Rachel’s outward beauty is astounding, Leah’s inward beauty is marvelous.

The two sister’s stories are not written in story form but in the names of their children.

So lets check their stories.

Leah’s Children

Genesis 29:32 ESV

32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”

Affliction and unloved.

Genesis 29:33 ESV

33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.

Hatred.

Genesis 29:34 ESV

34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.

Unattached.

Genesis 29:35 ESV

35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

This time I will praise the Lord.

This is the catalast in Leah’s journey.

This is so important. Leah makes the decision to be happy and praise God.

Jacob’s love hasn’t turned to her, but she has returned God’s love to Him.

Genesis 30:11 ESV

11 And Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” so she called his name Gad.

Good fortune!

Genesis 30:13 ESV

13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.

Happy.

Genesis 30:18 ESV

18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.

Wages = worth

Genesis 30:20 ESV

20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun.

Honor.

Rachel’s Children

Genesis 30:6 ESV

6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.

Judgement.

Genesis 30:8 ESV

8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.

Wrestling.

Genesis 30:23–24 ESV

23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”

Give me another! Selfishness.

Genesis 35:18–19 ESV

18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),

Ben-oni means son of sorrow.

You

Look at the differences between Rachel and Leah.

Rachel is beautiful in appearance, jealous, selfish, and finds her happiness in what she can offer.

The ending of Rachel’s life is a sad one.

Leah is beautiful in heart. She is afflicted and almost at times abandoned. She is a disappointment. But she decides to return God’s favor to God. She finds her worth and happiness in God.

Leah’s story ends with Honor.

We

Don’t forget your mothers.

In our story this morning, both Leah and Rachel were hurting.

Rachel wanted what Leah had: children.

Leah wanted what Rachel had: love and affection.

If you have a mother in your life, support her, love on her.

If you are a mother, thank you for all that you do. Thank you for being connected to us.