Rachel: God Heard Her Cries
Day 3, Week 3 of Beautifully Surrendered, A Love God Greatly Study
Today’s Reading: Genesis 29:31-30:24 (SOAP – 30:22-24)
Then God took note of Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “God has taken away my shame.” 24 She named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me yet another son.” Genesis 30:22-24
MY OBSERVATIONS:
What a saga! One sister (Rachel) loved by Jacob and the other (Leah) given to him in marriage by trickery.
The BibleReference.com commentary explains that the phrase “God took note of Rachel …” means that He looked with favorable consideration on her but not before…
- He looked with compassion on Leah who was unloved and enabled her to become pregnant (verse 31).
- the birth of 9 more sons, some given to Leah while others were given to Leah’s and Rachel’s servant girls.
“THEN… ” This one little word in Scripture is so often followed by some great news or event that it always catches my attention … and in this case – as with the story of Hannah – what follows “then” resonates with my heart. Years have passed, Rachel – though settling for children through her servant girl – has waited miserably and now finds herself, finally, pregnant because God has looked on her with “favorable consideration”. You see, it wasn’t that God had truly forgotten or not seen Rachel in all of this time – but rather that God is strategic and purposeful in all He does. As we saw with Hannah, and as I learned in my own life – God is the one who enables or withholds children being born. This is paramount in the story of Rachel and Leah and Mary and Elizabeth and every other woman in the Bible. Until we understand the truth of it we will forever struggle when we cannot see God’s hand in our lives. Trusting His heart is the essence of walking by faith and not by sight.
After the Then
Rachel gave birth to a son and she named him Joseph, which was to say – “May the LORD give me yet another son.” A greedy statement? I don’t think so, but rather believe it was Rachel’s acknowledgement of what she knew was God’s doing and her genuine desire for God’s favor to continue.
How Then Do We Live
I think an important take-away from this passage is to REMEMBER.
- Remember – even when it seems God is ignoring us – He isn’t. What He is doing is working all things together for the good of His children.
- It’s also important to pray big, Remembering and believing that there’s nothing God cannot do, literally! With God ALL things are possible.
- Remember, God’s timing and power are good and purposeful.
Prayer Response
Father, I have waited before for a child. I have, like Rachel. longed for my womb to be open, and felt ignored when You said – no, month after month and year after year. I praise You that I can look back now and know You weren’t ignoring me, You were waiting for the right time. THEN … You answered. May we never lose sight of Your Timing Father, whether it’s a child or a job, a marriage, or healing, whatever it is we are longing for – pleading for – Father, help us to trust Your heart even though we can’t see Your hand.
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