Leah’s first response to God’s blessing reveals her deepest pain. The Lord has seen her misery – she acknowledges God’s awareness. But her hope is still fixed on changing Jacob’s heart. “Surely my husband will love me now.”
Perhaps you are reading this today and hoping for something to change. You have been praying for such a long time. Like Leah, you may have come up with a plan, and while you wait, you are thinking, “Surely …”
Leah’s lesson to us all is that God will wait until you have exhausted your plans and begin to praise Him through the difficulty you are facing.
“Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” 33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son, she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. 34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son, she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. 35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son, she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.Then she stopped having children.” (Genesis 29 v 32-35)
Reuben (it means see, a son): Leah now knows God has seen her misery; surely she will be loved by Jacob. The problem is still her focus. The gift from God becomes a means to an end – a tool to win the affection she craves.
Simeon (it means the one who hears): Leah is still naming her pain. “I am not loved.” God hears. God responds. But notice – she’s still defining herself by what she lacks, by who doesn’t love her. Her identity is still wrapped up in her problem rather than in God’s provision.
Levi (maybe from the word attached): Three sons. Surely this is enough? “Now at last” – there’s desperation in these words. How many blessings does it take before Jacob notices? Before he loved her? She’s still measuring God’s gifts by whether they change her circumstances with Jacob.
Judah (derived from the word praise): Everything changes with the fourth son. “This time I will praise the Lord.” Not “surely my husband will love me now.” Not “because I am not loved.” Not “now at last he will become attached to me.” This time – just praise. Pure praise to God. Leah finally moved from problem to praise. She stopped looking at what Jacob wasn’t giving her and started looking at what God was giving her.
Notice what happens: “Then she stopped having children.” When Leah’s focus shifted from her problem to praise, something changed. God had accomplished what He intended – not to change Jacob’s heart necessarily, but to change Leah’s heart.
From Judah – the son named “praise” – would come the line of kings. From Judah would come King David. From Judah would come Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
When you move to praise, God changes you. And when you change, the problem can change.
Are you still at Reuben, Simeon, or Levi? Or have you arrived at Judah – where praise is on your lips regardless of whether your circumstances have changed?
Missions Paul 