Rachel - In the Heat of the Night

Genesis 29:23-25 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant. 25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?"

My husband and I will celebrate our 10th year of marriage on our next anniversary. My husband's brother is the High School Orchestra Director at our church, so many people sometimes get me confused with my sister-in-law. Not that we look alike, we just all have the same last name (which is not a very common name-but memorable) so people who don't know us well, just assume we're married. My husband and his brother, however, do look alike. They also have another brother who looks like them. So put the three of them together and it's obvious they are brothers. However, my husband has a different voice. He has a different smell. He walks differently than his brothers. He laughs differently. And after 10 years of marriage - I know the difference.

How in the world did Jacob not know he was sleeping with Leah??? Even if Leah was veiled - which was common custom at the time - was Jacob so intent on his purpose that he didn't stop to realize, "Hey, Rachel sounds a little different this evening, and is walking funny". What about Rachel. She was in love with Jacob too - Laban probably had her hidden away somewhere so as not to risk the chance of Jacob seeing her. What must have been going on in her head? I'm sure it wasn't far from what I'm thinking right now . . . "Surely he could've figured out it wasn't me." They had known each other for seven years now, and the big day that was supposed to belong to her - was given to her sister.

Is that how we see things? When something happens, either at the deceit of someone else or by accident, that causes heartache for us - do we try and see it from the other person's perspective? Do you think Rachel felt bad for Jacob or do you think she was angry that he slept with her sister? Do we wallow in our own self-pity or do we try to see what the other person may be going through-even though we're hurt by it? Do we let our circumstances determine our demeanor or do we resolve to stand firm in Christ no matter who wrongs us or for what reason? We follow the example that Christ set for us "...forgive them, for they know not what they do..."

Jonah - Forgiveness

Jonah 1:11-16 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?" "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you." Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried to the LORD, "O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased." Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.

Jonah admits his full guilt and is willing to accept full punishment. Wages of sin is death, right? How hard do you think it was for Jonah to offer up his own life for these men? He offers up his life so that the men might be saved from the storm. These men, who did not know Jonah before this trip, do not want to kill Jonah. They desperately struggle to try and get him back to shore - but God is in control. It was then that a miracle inside this miracle took place - these men cried out to God for forgiveness and then tossed Jonah overboard.

I wonder if Jonah had not admitted his sin - tried to cover it up - if these men would've responded differently. Would they have tried so hard to get Jonah back to safety - would they have ever known how mighty God is?

There is something to be said about openly confessing our sins. Yes, it's embarrassing to have our dirty laundry aired, but God can use our humility for His glory. There's nothing more convicting than someone that's broken who's crying out to God for forgiveness. And let's face it - we all need to cry out to God. . .