What I did For Love

Consider a man named Jake, faced with a sudden relocation to a new area. While stopped at a rest area, he spots Rae, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. He inquires about her, learns where she lives and makes a visit. Her father, Labion, much more the pragmatist, sees an opportunity to manipulate his daughter’s newfound suitor into seven years of fruitful service, only to substitute the more studious and likely Spiritual of his two daughters, Lee, into the arms of  the unsuspecting love-sick Jake. Undeterred, Jake pursues his dream of a life with Rae for another seven years, only to discover that the life he thought challenging with one wife has compounded its difficulties with two

Why are relationships so challenging? Why do they sometimes bring out the worst in us?

The Puritans had a different model! (See Packer). 

Jacob’s own struggles with relationship illuminate as least part of the remedy, nicely administered in 3 doses!

BELIEVING INTERCESSORY PRAYER BEATS HUMAN PROWESS EVERY DAY. See how it all unfolds. They ( the shepherds) can’t, but he can– his feats of strength gain him a hearing but not the upper hand. Any credibility gained is lost in his inability to stay the course of believing prayer! (James 4:3).

This well incident strangely similar to at least one other (Gen.24); (Ex.2).
INNER WORTH IS MORE THAN SKIN DEEP. Jacob’s passion for passing beauty makes him vulnerable to deception. He has no interest in Leah; it’s her face you know,  and maybe her coloring is off!

What goes around with Esau has come around with Laban who is every bit his equal! HE is deceived in darkness but must now live out in the light of its consequences. 

Deception is the drug that keeps on taking victims: Let it go… no I must have Rae! (BV story)

THRIVING IS PREFERRED OVER SURVIVING 

Nothing more discouraging than watching Leah name her sons. “Few things more pathetic” says Derek Kindner. What she wants from Jacob is love and a recognition that she matters–what she receives is children:

1. Of Reuben: He has seen my affliction, surely my husband will love me
2. Of Simeon: because the Lord has heard that I am unloved.
3. Of Levi: now this time my husband will become attached to me
4. The folks that I know who claim to be living on the edge are more times than not, living boring, predictable and destructive lives. Isn’t it time to leave the boring, addictive and destructive lives we live and ask God to help us thrive?  When I first met Glenn Wokeck the man wanted to take me skydiving and wanted me to buy a motorcycle to take him all over creation. You can drive he said, I’ll be glad to ride on the back. 

Why can’t we pursue Godliness with the aim of pleasing our Savior and relationships with the goal of moving someone closer to their Heavenly Father! Then we might discover that church is more than loud music, lifeless worship, and useless teaching!

CLOSE:

Maybe it’s time for a relationship assessment. How bad are your relationships- how deep is your deception? Women who will allow affairs in hopes that it will satisfy their husband’s wandering in hopes keep him…never succeed in getting what they really want. And men, struggling with that one “thing” that will give them full satisfaction, never seem to find it!

MJC