“And God Remembered Rachel…”
This past Sunday, I did not have my usual Mt. Jezreel experience. Instead, I attended Metropolitan church in NW. I REALLY enjoyed the service. Dr. Anthony Moore from Carolina Missionary Baptist Church was the guest preacher. The message spoke to me. I hope that in sharing it with you, it will bless your life as well.
In case you all are not familiar with the story of Jacob and Rachel (Genesis 29-30); let me catch you up right quick:
Jacob was on the run from his brother Esau since he had tricked him out of their father’s blessing. Esau was very angry, he wanted to kill him. During his travels, Jacob ran to the fields outside the town of Haran, where is uncle Laban and his family lived. Jacob met Rachel while she was tending to a flock. When Jacob’s eyes met Rachel’s, it was love at first sight. It was as if the world came to a stop and there was no one else in the world but the two of them.
Laban had two daughters. Rachel was the younger, and Leah was the older. Jacob agreed to work seven years for his Uncle Laban if he would let him marry his daughter Rachel. When the seven years had past, a wedding ceremony occurred. The day after it, Jacob realized that he married Leah by accident. Rachel was the one he truly loved, so Jacob cut another deal to marry Rachel. When the terms were met, they married.
God saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. He also saw how it hurt Leah to be loved less. To ease her pain, God blessed Leah with multiple sons and a daughter with Jacob. Every time her sister had a baby, it bothered her more and more. All this time, Rachel wasn’t able to give Jacob any children. Rachel even offered her handmaiden to Jacob to offer children. She was afraid Jacob would stop loving her. In the midst of her jealousy, anguish and pain, God blessed Rachel. You see, Rachel was covered and protected under a covenant that Jacob had with God through Abraham.
The main text was Genesis 30: 22-27:
“22Then God remembered Rachel. God listened to her, and made her able to have a child, 23and she gave birth to a son. Then she said, "God has taken away my shame." 24She gave him the name Joseph, saying, "May the Lord give me another son."
25When Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, so I may go to my own place and my own country. 26Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served. Let me leave, for you know how much I have served you."
27But Laban said to him, "If now it pleases you, stay with me. I have learned that the Lord has brought good to me because of you."”
Points to Remember:
1. Don’t settle for less that you are worth.
a. Rachel didn’t wait for God. She succumbed to her flesh and worked in her time. No one can do better for you than God. Wait on Him.
2. God senses when you are in trouble.
a. “God remembered Rachel.” When the time was right God answered Rachel’s prayers and fulfilled his covenant with her. He did not forget her.
3. We are a covenant people.
a. God has promised to love and protect us, His children. He will continue to bless us and honor that covenant.
4. God has done His work even when you don’t feel it.
a. The opening of Rachel’s womb was a work that God completed inside of her. She didn’t know that it was happening. Nor did she realize that it had been completed.
5. Keep praising God and living your life according to His word even when your prayers have yet to be answered.
a. If Rachel had stopped performing her “wifely” duties with Jacob, she would have never known that her womb had been opened and that she could conceive a child.
6. Claim your future blessings.
a. Rachel’s son was named Joseph which loosely translated means “another is coming.” When God blesses you He will do so bountifully. Do not be greedy but rejoice in them.
7. Be prepared to leave things behind…LET IT GO!
a. We all know that Jacob is a trickster. When he named his terms for leaving his Uncle Laban, he didn’t believe he would actually receive it. God doesn’t play around with blessings. Ask for yours and it will come in God’s time.
8. Your presence in someone else’s life may be source of their blessings.
a. Uncle Laban realized that keeping Jacob in his house blessed him with prosperity. There is someone in your life that knows that you do the same for them. Praise God for the blessings your presence gives other people as well as for the blessing other people’s presence gives you.
In case you all are not familiar with the story of Jacob and Rachel (Genesis 29-30); let me catch you up right quick:
Jacob was on the run from his brother Esau since he had tricked him out of their father’s blessing. Esau was very angry, he wanted to kill him. During his travels, Jacob ran to the fields outside the town of Haran, where is uncle Laban and his family lived. Jacob met Rachel while she was tending to a flock. When Jacob’s eyes met Rachel’s, it was love at first sight. It was as if the world came to a stop and there was no one else in the world but the two of them.
Laban had two daughters. Rachel was the younger, and Leah was the older. Jacob agreed to work seven years for his Uncle Laban if he would let him marry his daughter Rachel. When the seven years had past, a wedding ceremony occurred. The day after it, Jacob realized that he married Leah by accident. Rachel was the one he truly loved, so Jacob cut another deal to marry Rachel. When the terms were met, they married.
God saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. He also saw how it hurt Leah to be loved less. To ease her pain, God blessed Leah with multiple sons and a daughter with Jacob. Every time her sister had a baby, it bothered her more and more. All this time, Rachel wasn’t able to give Jacob any children. Rachel even offered her handmaiden to Jacob to offer children. She was afraid Jacob would stop loving her. In the midst of her jealousy, anguish and pain, God blessed Rachel. You see, Rachel was covered and protected under a covenant that Jacob had with God through Abraham.
The main text was Genesis 30: 22-27:
“22Then God remembered Rachel. God listened to her, and made her able to have a child, 23and she gave birth to a son. Then she said, "God has taken away my shame." 24She gave him the name Joseph, saying, "May the Lord give me another son."
25When Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, so I may go to my own place and my own country. 26Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served. Let me leave, for you know how much I have served you."
27But Laban said to him, "If now it pleases you, stay with me. I have learned that the Lord has brought good to me because of you."”
Points to Remember:
1. Don’t settle for less that you are worth.
a. Rachel didn’t wait for God. She succumbed to her flesh and worked in her time. No one can do better for you than God. Wait on Him.
2. God senses when you are in trouble.
a. “God remembered Rachel.” When the time was right God answered Rachel’s prayers and fulfilled his covenant with her. He did not forget her.
3. We are a covenant people.
a. God has promised to love and protect us, His children. He will continue to bless us and honor that covenant.
4. God has done His work even when you don’t feel it.
a. The opening of Rachel’s womb was a work that God completed inside of her. She didn’t know that it was happening. Nor did she realize that it had been completed.
5. Keep praising God and living your life according to His word even when your prayers have yet to be answered.
a. If Rachel had stopped performing her “wifely” duties with Jacob, she would have never known that her womb had been opened and that she could conceive a child.
6. Claim your future blessings.
a. Rachel’s son was named Joseph which loosely translated means “another is coming.” When God blesses you He will do so bountifully. Do not be greedy but rejoice in them.
7. Be prepared to leave things behind…LET IT GO!
a. We all know that Jacob is a trickster. When he named his terms for leaving his Uncle Laban, he didn’t believe he would actually receive it. God doesn’t play around with blessings. Ask for yours and it will come in God’s time.
8. Your presence in someone else’s life may be source of their blessings.
a. Uncle Laban realized that keeping Jacob in his house blessed him with prosperity. There is someone in your life that knows that you do the same for them. Praise God for the blessings your presence gives other people as well as for the blessing other people’s presence gives you.
posted by SdotK at 10:16 AM
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