FRIDAY, September 12th, 2008

Time is flying by so fast!

A Few Thoughts From Yesterday:
Michael: I am thankful for your boldness for Christ. You are very smart not to talk to Julio about it for a while... let the Holy Spirit do His work, sometimes we tend to want to save people ourselves, but we can end up scaring people off. God is in control and Julio is a very smart guy, God will keep working on him.
Jake: Keep bringing Chandler to church. I am going to teach on Salvation very soon, maybe even this Wednesday night! I would love to show him how to accept Christ.
Jessica: I am so glad that you went, I really wanted to go last night, but we have family from Rhode Island in town, so I could not make it. David was a really nice guy, and I am excited about helping out.
Marvin: I am glad you came back on the devo blog... now get Kervin back on too!!
Mallory: I agree with you! I am glad that you are so faithful on here!

Genesis 29

1 So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East.
2 And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth.
3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.
4 And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.”
5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”
6 So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.”
7 Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
9 Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.
13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things.
14 And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should 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 delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her.
24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.
25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”
28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.
29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid.
30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.

The Children of Jacob
31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.
34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

Wow! The deceiver is deceived!!! Do you remember how Jacob deceived his father two days ago? well, now He is looking for a wife, and this story had potential to be an incredible love story. Jacob walks into the city, he sees the "shepherdess" Rachel, and walks up to her and just kisses her. DONT TRY THAT TODAY GUYS! YOU WILL GET KNOCKED OUT! :) TRUST ME! :) J/K

Well, Jacob finds the woman he wants to marry and He goes to her father and says: I will work for you for seven years if I can marry your daughter: RACHEL!!!!!! So seven years later... (where were you seven years ago? THAT IS A LONG TIME) well... seven years later the marriage day comes, there is a feast, and at the end of the day Jacob and his new bride go back to their tent. They consumate the marriage, and THEN!!! WOW!! "It came to pass in the morning, BEHOLD!!! (modern day language: WHAT IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!) IT WAS LEAH!!!!

I guess it was really dark in that tent, but Jacob was CLEARLY suprised to see Leah in the morning! The deceiver was deceived!!! You reap what you so!!

I cannot imagine that! Can you imagine the dissapointment in that situation. You count down the days until you can marry your wife, and then when you realize who you married it WAS NOT THE GIRL YOU LOVED.

Well, Jacob went to Laban and said YOU TRICKED ME!!!! (I bet that sounded familiar to him!) Laban made him a deal that if He worked another 7 years, then he could marry Rachel. Wow! 14 years of work, for the one Jacob loved!!!

Lesson of the day: Dont deceive people... you will reap what you so.