Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“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?’”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, September 19, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I sort of think Jacob deserved this. As a continuation of yesterday’s devotional observations, we can look at how Jacob lied and cheated and stole to get his brother’s inheritance and blessing and now Jacob’s uncle lied and cheated to force Jacob to marry his older daughter, Leah, before his younger daughter, Rachel, whom Jacob loved. First of all, does this sort of conniving run in the family or what? But secondly, just as Rebekah and Jacob figured they had no other option in the face of an unjust system than to cheat for Jacob’s advantage, perhaps Laban, on behalf of his daughter, Leah, felt he had no other option to make sure she was given a good, upstanding husband who would protect and provide for her all the days of her life. Obviously she was not as attractive (at least to Jacob) as her younger sister. Perhaps Laban would have had trouble marrying her off in her best interests otherwise. Perhaps this was really an act of love on Laban’s part. Yeah, let’s go with that.
Have I ever had to work around challenging or unjust systems in order to help someone?
