In the Holy Bible, there was a woman named Leah. Now time does not permit me to share the entirety of her story. To get the full picture, refer to Genesis chapters 29-37. Leah was a woman that many people throughout generations could relate to. Let me provide you with a synopsis. As a result of problems between her father and a distant relative (turned servant), Leah was forced into a bad marriage. Throughout her entire marriage, Leah was aware of her husband’s love and passion for her younger sister, Rachel. In fact, her husband (Jacob) worked tirelessly to make Rachel his wife. Imagine Leah’s pain and grief: betrayed by her father, forsaken by her spouse, at enmity with her sister. (Side note: The Bible addresses polygamy, not because it was God’s will. It was addressed to show man’s level of obstinance against God.) Leah was a woman who endured a lifetime of sorrows (not limited to but including the rape and humiliation of her daughter Dinah). So, why does Leah story matter to us today?
Leah’s story conveys the depths of God’s love for the forsaken and the comfortless.
Many of us know the story of God’s love for humanity conveyed through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God (in His sovereignty and omniscience) set in motion the redemption of mankind before sin entered the world. So awesome and compassionate is the Lord God that He included His fallen creation in His plan for redemption. One of the most integral persons in the story of salvation and redemption is Leah. In the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is titled Lion of the tribe of Judah. When you study the genealogy of Jesus Christ, you will discover that Judah is an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Who is Judah’s mother? Judah’s mother is the Jewish matriarch, Leah.
Leah, whose life seemed so sorrowful and bitter, was thought of by God. Recognizing her discomfort and neglect, God gave her sons that would constitute the majority of the twelve tribes of Israel. She was given a seed, a righteous legacy that impacts the world today. Leah was a woman of purpose, chosen by God for a great work. Through her story, God reminds us that even the forsaken and the outcast have a divine destiny.
You may feel today that your life does not matter. You may feel alone in this world. Although it is okay to cry, it is not okay to give up on life. Your life matters to God. He has created and fashioned you with a purpose. The Lord God who gives you life will sustain it and allow you to see the fulfillment of your purpose. So, trust in the sovereignty of God and in His unfailing love for you.