Tues.’s Devo - All My Children - Episode One!

Read Gen. 29:30-30:13

Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah so God had compassion on Leah and opened her womb, but Rachel was sterile.  Leah’s first born was named Reuben which means “see a son”.  She thought this would make Jacob love her more.  She got pregnant again and had Simeon which means “hearing”.  Maybe she thought Jacob would start listening to her.  She got pregnant a third time and had Levi which means “attached”.  She thought Jacob would feel one with her now that she gave him 3 sons.  (She needs a study in insecurity!)  She got pregnant a 4th time and called him Judah which means “praise”.  She finally learned to praise the Lord instead of thinking it would change her husband.  Then she stopped bearing.  Rachel realizes that she must be barren and she is jealous of Leah’s babies so she complains to Jacob and begs him to give her a baby.  (I think Rachel is a little hormonal!)  Jacob doesn’t realize she just needs his comfort and gets mad instead because it is not his fault.  (He needs a study on women!)  So, since Jacob is not understanding and can’t fix her, she decides the next best thing is to take matters into her own hand and let her handmaiden have her baby.  So she gives Bilhah to Jacob to get pregnant.  Bilhah means “timid” so I’m guessing she is not exactly gunho about having sex with her boss.  But she does and gets pregnant and has a boy and they call him “Dan” which means “judge” because Rachel feels judged by God.  She gives Bilhah to Jacob again and she has Naptali which means “my wrestling” because she was in a baby competition with her sister and she was feeling the pressure.  Leah stepped up and was determined not to be beat by her younger sister so since she wasn’t getting pregnant anymore, she gave Jacob her handmaiden, Zilpah.  Zilpah had a son and named him Gad which means “a troop”.  They almost had a troop - does Jacob only produce boys???  Zilpah had another son and they named him Asher which means “happy”.  Leah was clearly winning this race.    

It is amazing that women are the same no matter the culture.  Our sense of value is put on what we produce.  Some women find this in their kids, some in a perfectly clean - everything, some in their jobs, some in a perfect body, etc.  It is competition; and it is everywhere, stealing us of our joy to just be who God created us to be.  Let’s try to relax and just enjoy God and who he is in us.  We will be much more peaceful, joyful, and young!

Lord Jesus, today we want to focus all our energy on being a pleasure to you and enjoying who you made us to be.  Deliver us from competition.