Genesis Chapter 29: Verse 35 (NIV-UK)
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
1 Thessalonians Chapter 5: Verses 16-18 (NIV-UK)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Poor Leah. Given in marriage to Jacob under false pretences instead of her beautiful sister Rachael. Perhaps it was her father’s way of ensuring that she would have a husband and be looked after, as was the custom of the time. Maybe he thought no one would be interested in her because we are told that she had “weak eyes.” Jacob was in love with Rachael, not Leah.
But in the culture of the time God blessed Leah by ensuring she could conceive, and when her son Judah was born, he was her fourth healthy son. With the birth of her first three sons, she seems to have been focused on using them in an attempt to win Jacob’s love and approval. When Judah was born, she finally changes her priority and says, “Now I will praise God.” The name Judah means “Praise,” and interestingly, the line of Jesus comes through Judah. Leah initially focused on her circumstances. Paul reminded the Thessalonian church to keep our focus on giving thanks and praise to God whatever circumstances they found themselves in.
That is a lesson and reminder for us. Leah felt unwanted and unloved but God undertook for her and blessed her. Sometimes its easy for us to get focussed on our circumstances and try to engineer things to get things to work out the way we want. That’s never a good idea. We need to be quicker to realise that in prayer and thanksgiving we take our eyes off our circumstances and on to God, and He will work things out in accordance to His will, which is always better than our own plans.
Dear Lord,
Help me to take my eyes off my circumstances and look to You, especially when I feel hurt or disappointed. Help me to remember all Your goodness and grace and turn my disappointment into praise. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.