Genesis 29: 15-28
Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovey in form, and beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”
Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her.”
Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.
When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?”
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”
And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
A Thought
We can all learn a very valuable lesson from Jacob: Usually we reap what we sow. Jacob had deceived his brother by getting him to sell him his birthright for a bowel of lentil soup and also he had received the final blessing of Isaac. Now Jacob is feeling the injustice that perhaps Esau had felt when he failed to receive the blessing of Isaac. It appears that Jacob learned from his mistakes for the next fourteen years as he worked for his father-in-law, Laban, for the gift of his two wives.
Our Prayer
Father help us to use your word to learn what is the cost of our sin. Thank you that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sin. Open our eyes that we can recognize our sin against you and others and to be quick to confess our sin that we do not have to reap the penalty for our wrong actions. Open our heart to receive your word of truth that we may become more like Jesus. Fill us with your Holy Spirit to share with others the treasure of your kingdom. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
