Leah’s story begins in quiet pain. She is unloved, overshadowed, and caught in a rivalry she never asked for. With each child she bears, her heart’s cry is unmistakable. Reuben — “see.” Simeon — “heard.” Levi — “attached.” Every name child’s name shows how she longs for Jacob’s affection, for a place in a home where she feels unwanted.
But then something shifts.
“And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘This time I will praise the LORD.’ Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.”
(Genesis 29:35 ESV)
“This time.”
It is the language of surrender, the turning of her gaze from human approval to God’s faithful presence. Leah stops striving for Jacob’s attention and begins to rest in the LORD’s care. Her identity is no longer anchored in being chosen by a man but in being seen by God.
That seemingly unnoticed moment of praise changes everything.
From Leah’s worship comes Judah — ancestor of King David and — ultimately — Jesus the Messiah. The woman overlooked in her own household becomes the mother of Israel’s Redeemer. Grace rewrites her story.
This is the gospel woven into Genesis: God brings beauty out of sorrow, dignity out of rejection, and restoration out of wounds. In his kingdom, the overlooked become fruitful, and praise rises from the places of deepest hurt.
Where might God be inviting you to stop striving for approval and simply praise him — right in the midst of your present situation?
Featured image by Laura Garcia on pexels.com.
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