God's way of unfolding life and incorporating our weaknesses for His purposes never fails to awe me. Jacob, the one who deceived his father, experiences the deep heartache caused by deception - from his beloved's father. Jacob, the younger brother who usurped the older brother's rights' is confronted with the older daughter's customary 'right' and enters the difficulties of multiple wives. Surely God was working on Jacob to help him see the fuller picture of his own actions...but no doubt God was working equally perfectly in every life!
The role Leah had to play is not one any would envy: an unwanted wife permanently placed in competition with the beautiful younger sister. Yet Rachel's role had its challenges, too: earthly love without eternal hope. Jacob's reality of a manipulative father-in-law and polygamous living will bring its own lessons; and Laban's world, too, would have some instructive bumps develop from his actions! Yet, in each life, God works His blessed purposes of drawing individual hearts to Him.
As we read the names of Leah's children, we see her growing in her walk with the Lord, and we can have confidence that God's purpose is the same for us: faith that produces a praise-filled life! Awareness of 'facts' is not heart-lived knowledge of God--and learning to praise Him is the key to victorious living. Judah--I will praise God-- becomes the doorway through which Christ will enter. We enter the presence of God through praise for Christ as well. Imperfect people can not produce perfect lives....BUT GOD produces His perfect purposes despite us! That is certainly a point of praise!
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