Genesis 29:34

New International Version

 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.

For Encouragement

The story of Leah is interesting.

She was not supposed to be in the bridal suite, or so Jacob thought the morning after his honeymoon. So, how did Leah find herself in the arms of the bridegroom instead of her little sister, Rachel? And how could she expect to be loved by a man her father had deceived on his wedding night? Yet, love is what Leah craved throughout her marriage.

Jacob had worked seven years for his uncle, Laban, for the hand of Rachel in marriage. He dreamed of his wedding night as he labored those years for the woman he loved. But to his horror, he found another woman in his arms the morning after his wedding. Imagine that!

Laban’s solution? Another seven years of shepherding for Rachel; so to the field, Jacob went—for seven more years. How, then, could he love Leah?

Poor woman! Leah sought refuge in childbirth.

Surely my husband will love me now, she said after the birth of Rueben, her first son. Disappointed, Leah kept hope alive. She gave birth to her second son and named him Simeon, thinking her husband would love her. Have you chased the mirage in the desert before? 

So, Levi came with heightened expectations, but the three boys did not do it. Each time, Leah hoped Jacob would love her because of the children, but unfortunately, Jacob’s heart had found a resting place in the bosom of Rachel. Her wish that finally her husband would become attached to her because she had borne him three sons (Genesis 29:34) became a chase after the wind—a mirage. Poor woman!

Soon, reality dawned on her. Having children could not make Jacob love her. If it could, Jacob would not have loved Rachel so intimately. There must be another source of love, and Leah finally found it when her fourth son came. She named him Judah, saying:

This time, I will praise the Lord.

Then, she stopped having children (35).

It was as if God was waiting for Leah to turn her heart to Him rather than Jacob. So, Leah finally found love, not in Jacob, but in God, who blesses with children (Psalm 127:3), and she rejoiced and praised Him.

You may have yearned so long for someone to love you and have suffered countless disappointments. God is waiting for you to lift your eyes to Him, who is love (1 John 4:8) and radiates unrationed flows through Christ to delight your heart and infuse your spirit.

Can you turn to Christ now and find love in Him (Romans 10:9-10)? And when you do, can you become His instrument in the life of someone who has suffered disappointments, as you and Leah did, to come to Him and find real love?