Rachel's Story

"When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb,

but Rachel was barren."

Genesis 29:31

Most of us know the story; Jacob fell in love (at first sight) with Rachel. She was the beautiful, younger daughter of Laban. Jacob made arrangements to work seven years for Laban in exchange for Rachel's hand in marriage. Remember the trick Jacob pulled earlier on his father Issac? "Yes father, this is your son 'Esau' bless me please..." Well, what goes around, comes around and seven years later a huge wedding party was planned and carried out. But to Jacob's surprise he wakes in the arms of Leah, not Rachel. When he confronts his new father-in-law about the deception, Laban informs Jacob their custom is to marry off the oldest daughter first. Laban tells Jacob if he goes along with the marriage plans he will give him Rachel as well at the end of the wedding celebration (a week later). Jacob complies and is rewarded with his love, Rachel.

Although it was customary for a father to marry off his daughters according to their age, I can only imagine how Leah felt when she realized it was her younger sister, Rachel, that Jacob really wanted. In no fault of her own she was stuck in a loveless marriage. God knew this and felt for Leah. He "opened her womb" and blessed her with several children. Rachel, not realizing this was God's doing, became jealous of her sister and was desparate to have children of her own. In Genesis chapter 30 and verse one, she tells Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!" How many times have we felt that way? I can recall a time I told my husband I didn't think I could handle another one of my friends getting pregnant and his wise words to me were, "Well, either you need to pray they stop getting pregnant or that you get pregnant." Needless to say that wasn't what I wanted to hear. Just as Jacob's response to Rachel's complaining probably wasn't what she wanted to hear either. Jacob told Rachel that he was not God and that he (Jacob) had not kept her from getting pregnant.

Sometimes it is hard to celebrate the pregnancy of a friend or a sister's. You put on your best smile and congratulate them all the while feeling like a fraud and wondering, "will it ever be my turn?" It can be especially hard when you have friends and family members who seem to get pregnant by just brushing hands with their husbands. Regardless, we are reminded in first Corinthians that love does not envy. And the majority of times it is those friends and sisters who are pregnant that are praying the hardest for us to conceive as well.

Rachel definitely had a hard time dealing with her sister's pregnancies and instead of celebrating with her, she proceeded to "build" her own family by using her maidservant as a surrogant mother. This began another rivalry between the sisters and two maidservants later, Jacob had a house full of kids. I like to think Rachel eventually realized that waiting on God was the best thing she could do as well as appreciate a lesson in patience. I also like to think Rachel began to seek God and his will. Whether she did or did not seek him, the Bible tells us in Genesis 30:22 , "God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb."

I don't think God "forgot" Rachel. I think he was giving her time to mature in her walk with him. In the beginning she was crying and complaining to her husband and demanding that he give her a baby. She didn't realize she was asking the wrong person. Now, she was asking God for a baby and he, the fertility expert, listened. Rachel gave birth to a baby boy and named him Joseph for God had taken her disgrace away.

Rachel's story is important because it reminds us that God does not forget the barren. Her story is also important because it shows that even though we make mistakes, he still desires to bless us. In your struggles to conceive and to be happy for those around you who succeed in doing so, let me encourage you that the Lord truly loves a cheerful heart and if you can just take that step toward contentment God will meet you there and carry you the rest of the way. He has a plan for you and it is the most perfect plan. Wait on him and let him show you great and mighty things you never thought were possible.