I was watching TV last night and the author of the "Bad Girls of the Bible" books was on.  She spoke about Leah in a way that was truly profound to me.  So, I wanted to share it here.

Brief story in case you don't remember all of it.  Jacob saw Laban's daughter Rachel and was immediately taken with her.  He went to Laban and offered to work 7 years (which I am told was double the custom) for Rachel to become his wife. At the end of 7 years they had a wedding.  Back then the brides were heavily veiled, and the brides were switched.  Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah.  Jacob was of course angry but was willing to work another 7 years for Rachel.  So, here you have Leah who has been pawned off by her father to a man that does not love or want her. 

Ok, now here is the part that the author was pointing out.  1st-When God saw that Leah was unloved (or despised), He opened her womb.  Back then that was the measure of a woman, whether or not she could bear children and how fruitful she was.  The Lord saw her in her darkest place and blessed her with an open womb, exactly what she needed to feel accepted by those around her.

So, of course she conceives a child and she thinks surely Jacob will love me now.  Not so.  So, she bears two more sons, still desiring that love from Jacob, still desiring His acceptance, but not recieving.  But....2nd point....She bears a 4th son and this time she gets it and she says now I will praise the Lord, so she named her son Judah.  Now, did the Lord choose Rachels son to be in the lineage of Jesus?  No, he chose Judah.  Here is this poor woman, living in a loveless marriage and when she finally gets it, when she is finally willing to let go and just praise the Lord in the midst of her circumstance, that son becomes an ancestor of Christ.  Which makes her an ancestor of Christ.   Wow!  What a lesson.  Look at how blessed we can become and how we can truly walk in our destiny when we just start praising him in the midst of our circumstances.  Maybe not just in the midst of them, but also in spite of them. 

Our pastor mentioned in service Sunday that we just have to stop complaining, we have to stop whining, griping and bellyaching.  He was speaking on Psalm 103.  Verse 1 says "Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name."  If we are spending time complaining then we can't be blessing Him at the same time.  With all that is within me I am to bless Him.  So, good, bad or ugly I'm meant to bless Him regardless.  There are so many examples of this in the scripture.  What about Paul and Silas in prison, singing praises to the Lord?  Would we be praising and blessing the Lord, or would be be whining?  Just thought this was eye opening and convicting and I wanted to share.

Be Blessed!