Genesis 30:1-8: a reflection

1When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I will die.” 2Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in God’s place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3She said, “Behold, my maid Bilhah. Go in to her, that she may bear on my knees, and I also may obtain children by her.” 4She gave him Bilhah her servant as wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son. 6Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. 7Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son. 8Rachel said, “I have wrestled with my sister with mighty wrestlings, and have prevailed.” She named him Naphtali.

When Rachel cannot bear children while her sister does, she comes to Jacob in desperation: Give me children, or else I will die. And Jacob answers with a rebuke that names a truth she had lost sight of: Am I in God's place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb? Rachel was demanding from Jacob what only God could give, pouring out her longing on a person who could not grant it. The deep longing she carried was one only God could fulfill; yet she directed it at Jacob, who was not in God's place to give it.

Notice where Rachel directed her longing, and Jacob's correction. Her longing for children was deep, even to desperation; but she demanded it of Jacob, as though he could supply what only God could give. Jacob's answer points her rightly: he was not in God's place; the fruit of the womb was God's to give, not his. Her deep longing was real, but she had directed it at a person who could not fulfill it, rather than at God, who alone could. The correction was not that her longing was wrong, but that she had brought it to the wrong place, to a person, rather than to God who alone could answer it.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can direct our deepest longings at people who cannot fulfill them, rather than bringing them to God. We carry deep longings, for love, for children, for fulfillment, for things only God can truly give; and we can demand them of people, of spouses, friends, others, as though they were in God's place to grant them, and grow bitter when they cannot, as Rachel demanded of Jacob. But our deepest longings are to be brought to God, who alone can fulfill them. Do not direct your deepest longings at people who cannot fulfill them, demanding of them what only God can give; bring your longings to God, who alone can answer them. Bring your deepest longings to God, who alone can grant them, rather than demanding them of people who are not in God's place to give, as Rachel demanded children of Jacob; for the deep longings of our hearts are only truly fulfilled by God, and we do well to bring them to him rather than to people who cannot supply what only he can give.

Lord, when Rachel cannot bear children while her sister does, she comes to Jacob in desperation: give me children, or else I will die. And Jacob answers with a rebuke that names a truth she had lost sight of: am I in God's place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb? Rachel was demanding from Jacob what only you could give, pouring out her longing on a person who could not grant it. The deep longing she carried was one only you could fulfill; yet she directed it at Jacob, who was not in your place to give it. Show me where Rachel directed her longing, and Jacob's correction. Her longing for children was deep, even to desperation; but she demanded it of Jacob, as though he could supply what only you could give. Jacob's answer points her rightly: he was not in your place; the fruit of the womb was yours to give. Her deep longing was real, but she had directed it at a person who could not fulfill it, rather than at you. Take that to my heart, for I too can direct my deepest longings at people who cannot fulfill them, rather than bringing them to you. I carry deep longings, for love, for fulfillment, for things only you can truly give; and I can demand them of people, as though they were in your place to grant them, and grow bitter when they cannot. But my deepest longings are to be brought to you. Keep me from directing my deepest longings at people who cannot fulfill them, demanding of them what only you can give; help me bring my longings to you, Lord, who alone can answer them.