All’s Fair In Love
Read This Week: Genesis 29
While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her Father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd. When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her Father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her Father. As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.” – Genesis 29:9-14 NIV
All’s fair in love and war is an idiom that describes a situation in which people do not follow the usual rules of behavior and do things that are usually considered unfair. The story of Jacob, Lathan, and his two daughters, Leah and Rebecca, embodies the phrase above. Unusual rules of behavior, unfairness, and the trials of love are pervasive in this chapter. As one reads, it is difficult not to feel many emotions for each person throughout these action-packed verses, as the twists and turns seem endless. Because of this, Genesis 29 stands out as a gripping narrative of love, human frailty, and, God’s intervention. This passage introduces us to a cast of characters whose lives become intertwined in a web of emotions, struggles, and, ultimately, redemption.
The story begins with Jacob’s arrival in Haran, where he meets Rachel, Laban’s beautiful daughter. Struck by her charm, Jacob agrees to work for Laban for seven years in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage. However, Laban, perhaps driven by his own personal motives, deceives Jacob by substituting Rachel with her older sister, Leah, on their wedding night. The morning after the wedding, Jacob discovers the switch and confronts Laban. Laban defends his actions, citing the local custom of not marrying the younger daughter before the elder. Despite the cultural nuances, the deception deeply affects Jacob, who finds himself in a situation he did not anticipate. He is now married to Leah, a woman he did not choose, and he must grapple with the consequences of Laban’s deceit.
Although Leah feels and is seemingly unloved by Jacob, she desperately seeks his affection. The text emphasizes Leah’s feelings of rejection and her hope that bearing children will win Jacob’s love. Meanwhile, Rachel, who is deeply loved by Jacob, remains barren, adding another layer of complexity. Meanwhile, in an act of sovereign compassion, Father God intervenes and opens Leah’s womb, blessing her with sons. Leah’s firstborn, Reuben, signifies her hope that Jacob will finally love her. Each name reflects her ongoing desire for Jacob’s love and recognition as she continues to bear sons. However, Rachel remains childless, highlighting the tension between the two sisters and the brokenness of Laban’s choice to value custom over integrity.
But the narrative takes a redemptive turn when Rachel becomes fertile and gives birth to Joseph. This pivotal moment in the story marks a turning point in Jacob’s relationship with Leah and Rachel. Jacob’s love for Rachel does not diminish, but he begins to recognize Leah’s worth and her role in building his family, which God promised to bless, honor, and flourish. The Lord always keeps his word even amid the strange and poor choices of human beings, and, in the end, the Scriptures illustrate the transformative power of God and the realization of the importance of all members within a family. Despite the initial deception and relational challenges, we are reminded of the hope of redemption, forgiveness, and love’s capacity to overcome even the most difficult circumstances.
As some say or believe, all may be fair in love, but all is right, good, and perfect in God’s love. The complexities of human relationships, ill-advised decisions, seemingly harmless lies, and cultural expectations cannot and do not supersede the transforming power of the Father’s love. It reclaims relationships, ministers to the brokenhearted, prevails over dishonesty, and comforts those who are barren and feeling rejected. As we reflect on this story, we see the resilience of the human spirit, the importance of recognizing the worth of each individual, and the potential for God’s redemption in our lives, even in the most challenging situations we face.
Genesis Chapter 29 Verse 32
And Leah became pregnant and bore a son and named him Ruben [See, a son!]; for she said, Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and affliction; now my husband will love me.
Genesis Chapter 29 Verse 35
Again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, Now will. I praise the Lord! So she called his name Judah [praise]; then [for a time] she ceased bearing.
~I Am Enough~
God Is Saying To Me:
My plans for your life may not look like what you think they should look like. I see you and hear you but my plans are not always straightforward and are intricate just for you. Trusting me and my timing are perfect and you don’t always see or understand the end result. Strengthen your faith, wait patiently and don’t ask why or assume your responses in sinuations will be solved immediately. Be bold, courageous and consistent in worship and praise while you wait for my timing in your life because I am enough!
What This Means To Me:
We don’t always get what we want when we want it. We must trust God’s ability to ensure his promises in our lives. Patience is key to gaining wisdom from God. Thank you God that you mold and shape us in you, for you and for others. ❤️
Looking at what was going on in Genesis 29
I see Father God looking at our heart.
Am I getting what I need from Him first!
Is he enough for me. Or am I trying to get what I need from my Father, Jesus?
Father God is always taking care of my needs, but am I giving Him all the glory, it’s all about recognizing Father God in everything and Praising Him and learning to be content right where I am at knowing He is working everything for my good and the people around me!
Thank you Father God for you are enough for me, and I want to continue everyday growing and learning that I can get what I need from you!
I love you all so much ❤️
Song for Wednesday
Enough
Chris Tomlin
All of you is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You are my supply
My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
worth living for
And still more awesome than I know
All of you is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You’re my sacrifice
Of greatest price
And still more awesome than I know
You’re my coming King
You are everything
And still more awesome than I know
More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know
More than all I can say
You are more than enough for me
This is what I got from Genesis 29 from God. Laban let Jacob know he could stay with them as a hired servant. Jacob’s reaction revealed much of his character. You never know what kind of servant you are until others treat you like a servant. The offer to work 7 years in order to marry Rachel was like a dowry. When Laban saw how badly Jacob wanted Rachel he knew he could take advantage of him. Jacob was willing to wait 7 years for Rachel because of the love he had for her. Laban gave Jacob Leah instead of Rachel by deceiving him. This deception towards Jacob was similar to the deception Jacob put upon his father Isaac and his brother Esau. I used a difficult experience to discipline Jacob. Your disobedience may not stop my plan for you for your life, but it will greatly affect how you end up experiencing it. I will work all things together for good. I can bring comfort and blessing to you and meet your needs. Look to Me and praise Me.
What this said to me is that I want to be a good and faithful servant. I want to keep growing closer to God, by his word, by worship, by tithing, and by serving. If I stay close to Him and obey Him, the plans and promises He has for me, will be fulfilled. If I sin I need to repent and stop the sin with His help. My sinning could delay what God has for me.
Genesis 29
God wanted me to hone in on verses 31-32
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,[b] for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
God said to me:
“Take witness to my plan every day. Everything is laid out meticulously. Stay with Me when making decisions and you will be a part of that plan as easy as it is to breathe.”
Leah found God and He responded as He always does. When we give God the faith He deserves we are the best we can be and will be beaming with His love.
In our life’s journey, it’s common to navigate on our own, relying on our personal wisdom. Yet, have we considered the profound difference when we walk hand in hand with God? Look back at your own experiences: Have the paths you tread alone always led to fulfillment, or were there times of confusion and unrest, where only God’s direction seemed to be the answer?
We all have experienced chaos in our lives, but what matters now is where we stand today. Are we defined by endless cycles of uncertainty, or are we seeking a pathway marked by peace and steadiness in God’s light?
I’ve realized that moving in circles, like a hamster in its wheel, brings little but exhaustion. I long for certainty and enduring peace, which I’ve found in a deeper relationship with God.
Here’s how I’ve reshaped my journey through faith:
1. In making decisions, we shouldn’t just rely on our understanding but should earnestly seek God’s guidance, trusting in His greater wisdom.
2. If you find yourself lost or going in circles, it’s not enough to simply acknowledge it. Seek God’s guidance to find the right path.
3. Life, when walked in companionship with God, is not just enlightened by His wisdom but also graced with His constant support and guidance.
This is more than making choices; it’s about making choices that are aligned with God’s will. It’s about transitioning from uncertainty to a life filled with purpose, peace, and the comforting presence of God.
PODCAST
This Week in the Life: Genesis 29
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This week in Genesis chapter 29 I got a song
Spirit of the lord
We are praising, you praising you. We are praising you our Lord from the beginning to the end, you are with us your spirit lives in us because of you we have faith hope joy in our heart. Sometimes we can be distracted, or told false things, but we have you Jesus our Lord never gives up on us. When we fail, he helps us get on track his spirit lives in our heart. We believe we believe we are trusting in you ourLord, we are praising you praising you. We are praising you Lord.
He gives us strength All we have to do is ask him He will give us peace ❤️ remember we always have victory when we have Jesus