There is heartache and pain in today’s story from the book of Genesis. Our attention is now firmly focused on Jacob and his two wives (having two wives was not his idea). Jacob cheated his older brother Esau, lied to his father, and gained the blessing of the first-born son … a blessing he had no right to. But what he stole did not bring him position, privilege, or power, instead it brought fear. Fear made him run for his life. His uncle Laban took him in. It didn’t take long to discover that his uncle was a better liar and cheat than Jacob himself. Jacob became Laban’s slave. The one bright light for Jacob was his love for his uncle’s younger daughter Rachel.

Here’s where the heartache comes in … Laban promised his daughter Rachel to Jacob, but on the wedding night he sent his daughter Leah instead. Leah knew she was a substitute. She soon discovered that she was also unloved. That can mess a person up!

Every one of us wants to be loved. Even twisted souls, beaten and damaged lives, have a longing to be loved. But when who we are, and what we do, is not enough, what then? In this story God provides an answer for Leah and all of us. His answer is good, loving, enough.