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Deception, Disappointment, and God’s Divine Plan

Genesis 29:21-25

Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is completed. I want to sleep with her.” So Laban invited all the men of the place to feast. That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave.

When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Wasn’t it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?”

Jacob was furious when he realized he had been deceived. Without a doubt, his own scheming and deceptive past was catching up with him. He had deceived his father, Isaac, into giving him Esau’s rightful blessing at the careful instruction of his mother, Rebekah. Now, his uncle had craftily schemed to give him Leah, the older daughter, in marriage, rather than his love, Rachel. After seven years of work, his reward was less than what he had expected.  He felt deceived and betrayed. We begin to see just how much deception was a part of the character traits of this blood line.  

The amazing part of it all is how God chose to use such deceptive people as a part of His divine plan.  Rest assured that God knows every deceptive scheme imaginable, and He can use man’s deceptive, scheming, cheating character traits to carry out His plans. His overall plan for you is already designed with the enemy’s deception in mind, and any scheme the Devil throws at you will ultimately work in your favor. Deception is no match for God’s sovereignty.

My heart aches for Leah in this scene. The older, less attractive, daughter was given in marriage to a man who greatly desired her younger sister. Would she ever win his heart or know the love of a man?  She was a disappointment to her husband, and her life was now tied to him forever. How would she ever make it up to him? Everyone knew he loved Rachel. Could he ever come to love her, too? 

Know today that you are not a disappointment to God. You may not be quite what others expect or desire you to be, but you were made by God’s specific design. You were created to bring Him glory, and you have what it takes to honor Him. You don’t need man’s approval or even his love. You do not have to manipulate, scheme, deceive, or work to get a blessing from God. His favor upon you is what will lead you into your destiny, and you have that through Christ. Stop seeking the favor of those who will never approve you, and delight yourself in the God who sees you as perfect, beautiful, and worthy in every way.  He has a plan that will bring Him glory through your life, and you will be blessed by it. 

Have a blessed day!

PHOEBE Connections, Inc. is a 501(c)3 dedicated to enhancing the lives of widows by building relationships and helping them find new identity in Jesus Christ through serving others. We promote an atmosphere of fellowship, where the widow can connect with other widows to develop friendships and supportive relationships.