today's meditation (Gn.29:1-30) Seek God in Love

(Dear Lord Jesus, ...)

(Genesis 29:1-30)  Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east. 2 He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6 And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.” 7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

13 So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things. 14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face. 18 Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her.” 22 Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. 24 Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25 So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?” 26 But Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years.” 28 Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid. 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Well, this marriage arrangement was very different from his parents' arrangement, which included a lot of prayer and praises to God (Genesis 24).  Meanwhile, Jacob had just heard God give him the Abrahamic covenant... but never thought to seek out God's will on this.  Had Isaac not told Jacob their love story?  Or did Jacob get dating advice from his mom?

I'm sure Jacob thought he was very clever, and would come out on top like he usually did.  If he had had his wits about him, he should have been busy trying to find a husband for Leah, because he would have been well aware of social customs - IF he had been thinking clearly!  Anyway, I'm curious what Jacob all told Laban to make Laban realize that they were definitely related.  Maybe Jacob told Laban all the things he had finagled out of his older brother: the birthright as well as the blessing.

So here was a classic reap-what-you-sow moment.  Just as Jacob had cheated his brother Esau out of his blessing, Laban had cheated Jacob out of marrying Rachel (the first go-round), by getting Jacob so drunk the night before that he would not recognize Leah.  Hm, WHAT IF Jacob's story had given Laban that idea???  Merely speculation.  And no matter - because now Jacob had two wives (sister-wives)!  And Jacob didn't even really love one of them.  What could go wrong???

It really comes across that Jacob had been so "blinded" by love for Rachel, that he wasn't thinking clearly.  This obviously happens today when people are so desperate to get married - they become in love with the thought of being in love.  They get so caught up in the romance of it all, all objectivity goes out the window.  Hollywood and the world banks on "chemistry" and being lust-driven;  but feelings are fickle, and they come and go.

Godly love is not based on a feeling, but a choice - an act of the will.  So my advice always is, "Be in prayer!"  "Be content in all things."  "Wait on the Lord, all the while becoming the godly person you should be, as a single person or someone's spouse."  And "fall in love using your brain, then enjoy with your heart."