Good day dear friends.
PRAYER REQUESTS:From Gordon Leeks of our church: A colleague of mine, Keller T. has suffered with extreme pain in his back for several years. He has asked for prayers for relief from this debilitating pain.Thanks,Gordon
Today in Texas it's TAKS Writing Day! Please be in prayer for 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 11th graders as they take this test and other tests in Spanish, writing, etc. There will be prayers in school today!
STUDY GUIDE:We continue to talk about making our marriages count and we have our study guide here:
Tuesday: Please find and read Genesis 29. It’s a great love story, but it has some interesting twists and turns. Read how this young man’s dream of getting married plays out.
Here is that passage from Genesis 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying there beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where do you come from?" They said, "We are from Haran." 5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban son of Nahor?" They said, "We do." 6 He said to them, "Is it well with him?" "Yes," they replied, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep." 7 He said, "Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the animals to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them." 8 But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep." 9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them. 10 Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother's brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of his mother's brother Laban. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father. 13 When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh!" And he stayed with him a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?" 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed." 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25 When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" 26 Laban said, "This is not done in our country giving the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years." 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. 29 (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years. 31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben; for she said, "Because the Lord has looked on my affliction; surely now my husband will love me." 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also"; and she named him Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons"; therefore he was named Levi. 35 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the Lord"; therefore she named him Judah; then she ceased bearing.
What a love story! Our hero, Jacob, bachelor wanderer, comes across the woman of his dreams. And in keeping with those times, a perfect woman because she was a cousin. (Yes, first cousin, for his mother's brother was Rachel's father - get a chart to plot this if you're not following it!). According to one website, it is now against the law to marry a first cousin in Texas. That as of September 1, 2005. Previously, it was legal; now you can go to jail.
Jacob sees Rachel, this woman of his dreams upon his arrival to the place where she watered the sheep. He meets his uncle, a great celebration takes place, then Jacob offers to work for him. The uncle asks him what would he like as a salary, and Jacob replies he would be very thankful to receive permission to marry Rachel. Uncle Laban said, work for me seven years and she's yours! Now keep in mind, if you read the passage, that Uncle Laban has two daughters; the oldest is Leah, and she has great eyes, great personality, makes her own clothes, great cook, stuff you hear before you go on a blind date; and Rachel, the more beautiful of the two. But Jacob is in love with Rachel and wants to marry her. And the Bible says that those seven years seemed like a few days. Remember those days in your marriage, or a relationship, when time flew?
The story has a twist. Uncle Laban, cannot give Rachel before Leah gets married, so he does the "right thing" for those parts, and gives her to Jacob. After the wedding feast where Jacob thinks he's marrying Rachel, he wakes up to find Leah in his bed! "Hold on Uncle Laban! This was not the deal we had!" Uncle Laban explains himself and says that after another week of work, he would receive Rachel and then Jacob would have to work another seven years for this second bride! Of course, I should point out that in Texas and all of our states, you can only have one wife at a time. It was allowed then, but not now. Yes, there are certain enclaves of Texas and Utah, where outlaw folks practice multiple partner marriages.
I said at the beginning this was a love story and it was, between Jacob and Rachel, but not Leah. If you read carefully his plight, she feels hated by Jacob, though she has given him three sons and Rachel none. The writer even says that "Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah." The point of the story is to give us the history behind Israel's early start of the twelve tribes. Rachel, Leah, and their two handmaids, become the mothers of Jacob's twelve sons.
The point I'm making is how love can influence a perspective about time and obligations. For Jacob to be in love, to work out his obligations to his father-in-law to be, it was nothing to work seven years. If we keep love alive in our relationships, especially our marriages, we have that same blessing. Sunday I spoke about kindness in a marriage. Kindness is thinking ahead of the needs and wants of your spouse, and meeting them. It's receiving a glass of water right at the time you're about to take your morning vitamins or meds. It's being handed a sweater when you're about to leave the house without knowing the weather. It's about having your favorite meal prepared without you having to ask. Kindness in love goes a long way.
PRAYER: Loving God of love, we thank you for the gift of love in each other. I pray that love would continue to give us a fresh perspective of life with attitudes that please You and help us. Let us be kind to one another, especially to those with whom we live. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
PRAYER REQUESTS:From Gordon Leeks of our church: A colleague of mine, Keller T. has suffered with extreme pain in his back for several years. He has asked for prayers for relief from this debilitating pain.Thanks,Gordon
Today in Texas it's TAKS Writing Day! Please be in prayer for 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 11th graders as they take this test and other tests in Spanish, writing, etc. There will be prayers in school today!
STUDY GUIDE:We continue to talk about making our marriages count and we have our study guide here:
Tuesday: Please find and read Genesis 29. It’s a great love story, but it has some interesting twists and turns. Read how this young man’s dream of getting married plays out.
Here is that passage from Genesis 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying there beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large, 3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where do you come from?" They said, "We are from Haran." 5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban son of Nahor?" They said, "We do." 6 He said to them, "Is it well with him?" "Yes," they replied, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep." 7 He said, "Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the animals to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them." 8 But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep." 9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them. 10 Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother's brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of his mother's brother Laban. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father. 13 When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh!" And he stayed with him a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?" 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed." 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25 When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" 26 Laban said, "This is not done in our country giving the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years." 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. 29 (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years. 31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben; for she said, "Because the Lord has looked on my affliction; surely now my husband will love me." 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also"; and she named him Simeon. 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons"; therefore he was named Levi. 35 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the Lord"; therefore she named him Judah; then she ceased bearing.
What a love story! Our hero, Jacob, bachelor wanderer, comes across the woman of his dreams. And in keeping with those times, a perfect woman because she was a cousin. (Yes, first cousin, for his mother's brother was Rachel's father - get a chart to plot this if you're not following it!). According to one website, it is now against the law to marry a first cousin in Texas. That as of September 1, 2005. Previously, it was legal; now you can go to jail.
Jacob sees Rachel, this woman of his dreams upon his arrival to the place where she watered the sheep. He meets his uncle, a great celebration takes place, then Jacob offers to work for him. The uncle asks him what would he like as a salary, and Jacob replies he would be very thankful to receive permission to marry Rachel. Uncle Laban said, work for me seven years and she's yours! Now keep in mind, if you read the passage, that Uncle Laban has two daughters; the oldest is Leah, and she has great eyes, great personality, makes her own clothes, great cook, stuff you hear before you go on a blind date; and Rachel, the more beautiful of the two. But Jacob is in love with Rachel and wants to marry her. And the Bible says that those seven years seemed like a few days. Remember those days in your marriage, or a relationship, when time flew?
The story has a twist. Uncle Laban, cannot give Rachel before Leah gets married, so he does the "right thing" for those parts, and gives her to Jacob. After the wedding feast where Jacob thinks he's marrying Rachel, he wakes up to find Leah in his bed! "Hold on Uncle Laban! This was not the deal we had!" Uncle Laban explains himself and says that after another week of work, he would receive Rachel and then Jacob would have to work another seven years for this second bride! Of course, I should point out that in Texas and all of our states, you can only have one wife at a time. It was allowed then, but not now. Yes, there are certain enclaves of Texas and Utah, where outlaw folks practice multiple partner marriages.
I said at the beginning this was a love story and it was, between Jacob and Rachel, but not Leah. If you read carefully his plight, she feels hated by Jacob, though she has given him three sons and Rachel none. The writer even says that "Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah." The point of the story is to give us the history behind Israel's early start of the twelve tribes. Rachel, Leah, and their two handmaids, become the mothers of Jacob's twelve sons.
The point I'm making is how love can influence a perspective about time and obligations. For Jacob to be in love, to work out his obligations to his father-in-law to be, it was nothing to work seven years. If we keep love alive in our relationships, especially our marriages, we have that same blessing. Sunday I spoke about kindness in a marriage. Kindness is thinking ahead of the needs and wants of your spouse, and meeting them. It's receiving a glass of water right at the time you're about to take your morning vitamins or meds. It's being handed a sweater when you're about to leave the house without knowing the weather. It's about having your favorite meal prepared without you having to ask. Kindness in love goes a long way.
PRAYER: Loving God of love, we thank you for the gift of love in each other. I pray that love would continue to give us a fresh perspective of life with attitudes that please You and help us. Let us be kind to one another, especially to those with whom we live. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
