The World Needs More Leahs

One of the greatest blessings that God has given to me since being in Cannon Falls is the Women's Bible study that I help lead at the church that I attend. It has served a purpose to me much like a secret tree house in some near by, woodsy area would for a little girl; a means of escape, inspiration, comfort, encouragement and hope in the middle of so many hectic and challenging weeks.

We just recently finished a Bible study series entitled " Bad Girls of the Bible", by Liz Curtis Higgs. We started with the first book, and after it was apparent that the Holy Spirit was working through that resource, we decided to do the next book in the series. As we learned in depth about many of the well known (and not so well known) women of the Bible; the mistakes that they made, and the God who redeemed them with His grace, it was like looking into a mirror and seeing the flaws of my own character, with the hope that those flaws were only an opportunity for God to show Himself flawless and capable to do great things in my life.

One of the women we studied was Leah, number one wife of Jacob in physical secession of his two wives, but second and last in his heart, as he was in love with Leah's sister, Rachel. I remember hearing this famous story from the book of Genesis multiple times throughout my life, but never before have I viewed Leah, the "understudy" wife with the "weak eyes", in such a way as I do today. (This story can be found in the Bible, in the book of Genesis in chapter 28-31). Please read these chapters to refresh your knowledge or gain new insight on this story before moving forward with this post.

While studying Leah, the heart of the matter was understanding if she really had much of a choice to be involved in the trickery of her uncle Laban: being handed to Jacob as his wife, as per their marital custom of that time. We wavered back and forth as a group, trying to decide in our hearts whether or not Leah had a choice in the matter. But as we dove deeper into the personal choices that she had to make, it became apparent that that wasn't what God was trying to communicate to His children.
It seems that anyone who has read this classic Bible story has always felt bad for Leah, because Leah was described as being "unpretty and unloved" by her husband Jacob. I cannot imagine how painful it would be to be married to a man who wasn't attracted to me, didn't demonstrate his love toward me, and used me only as a reproductive machine to push out babies to continue his name sake. All the while your beautiful, knock out of a sister has your husband's heart and affections. What a painful existence.

There are so many elements to this story that are worthy of discussing, but I'm going to stay focused on what the Lord taught me through the life of Leah. Leah loved Jacob, and that love was never returned. The Lord graciously blessed her with multiple children, with every birth wishing and hoping that "maybe this time he will love me". What Leah initially missed is that even though Jacob loved Rachel, God loved Leah. In the study, Liz Curtis Higgs shares the research that "...God loved her, and knew that child bearing was "the only way to achieve status in her own family and community." " The following is the paragraph that hit me like a ton of bricks:

"Leah looked at the children around her feet, gazed up at the heavens above, and realized how very much she was loved, how clearly blessed she as among women. With a heart full of joy, Leah lifted her voice to the One who mattered the most. "...this time, I will praise the Lord." Gen. 29:35.
What a woman! Instead of blaming God for what she didn't have, she began praising God for what she did have. "Now I will praise the Lord!"(AMP). "

Leah had to come to a place in her heart where the love of her Lord was truly enough. She had to go through the pain of being unloved in a marriage and hated by her own sister's jealousy of her fertility to see God's sovereignty in her life. God saw her, he heard her and he loved her deeply, evident in His provision. God didn't want Leah for anyone else, He set her apart for Himself and Himself alone.
How many women spend their precious time and energy wanting to be "seen and heard", and doing whatever they possibly can to have this? How many women have been tossed aside in families, relationships, friendships and churches, unseen and unheard? Too many my friends. Far too many. How many of us ( male and female) seek to be seen and heard by faulty humans, and turn our backs on the One who tenderly knitted together every facet of our beautiful being, paying great attention and detail to everything from eye color to the personality that was designed to communicate His beauty and His love?

The title and inspiration for this blog was inspired by a comment that was made by an individual that stated that "The world needs more Ruth's". While I don't disagree with this statement, it was impressed upon my heart to communicate to you that this world "needs more Leah's". This world is in sore need of women who love Jesus, and can come to a place in their hearts and lives where He is enough. A place where Christian women all over the world, can raise their hands to the heavens and boldly declare that "They surrender all" to their Jesus. All of the pain, anxiety, hopelessness, depression, bitterness, deception and questions of "why". Leah stopped asking "Why" and "When", and rested in the love of her Jesus, knowing that she had been seen and heard by the One who mattered the most.

As Christians, we need to be in prayer for the women in our lives. What freedom can be achieved and what joy can be received, if every woman and girl, in every church body, claimed these as her own?! How would this affect every facet of their lives, and lives of those they've invested in? Only God can do such a miracle, only the God of Leah can break such high walls and bitter hearts.

"My soul alone finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken." -Psalm 62 1-2.

Male or female, girl or boy, young or old: May you find the hope and the freedom of resting in the fact that you are seen and heard by the Lord Jesus Christ. May you rest in this beautiful truth, and find the strength that you need fight on the battle ground of this earthly world. May you not be shaken, and if you are shaken, may you not be ripped off your feet by the enemy that seeks to kill and destroy this hope that God has imparted upon you. May you have the courage "be a Leah".

Amen.