Genesis 29:26-30: a reflection

26Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me for seven more years.” 28Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife. 29Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant. 30He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.

When Jacob, having served seven years for Rachel, is deceived by Laban into marrying Leah instead, he does not give up on what he longed for. He is cheated, wronged, made to wait longer than he had bargained for; yet he agrees to serve another seven years to gain Rachel, whom he loved. Jacob did not let the disappointment and unfair treatment turn him from what he longed for; he persevered, serving the additional years, enduring the wrong done to him, to gain what he sought. His love for Rachel sustained him through the setback and the unfair treatment; he pressed on toward what he longed for rather than giving up.

Notice Jacob's perseverance through disappointment and unfair treatment. He had served seven years, expecting Rachel; and he was cheated, given Leah instead, and told he must serve seven more years for Rachel. It was unfair, a wrong done to him, a bitter disappointment. Yet Jacob did not abandon what he longed for; he persevered, serving the additional years, enduring the unfair treatment, to gain Rachel at last. His perseverance carried him through the setback; he did not let the wrong turn him aside from what he sought. The disappointment and unfair treatment did not defeat him; he pressed on, serving on, toward what he longed for. His love sustained him through the wrong done to him.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can persevere toward what we long for even through disappointment and unfair treatment. We pursue things we long for, and can meet disappointment, setbacks, even unfair treatment along the way; and we can be tempted to give up, to abandon what we sought. But Jacob persevered through being cheated and made to wait, serving on toward what he longed for. There is a perseverance that presses on through disappointment and unfair treatment rather than giving up. When you meet disappointment or unfair treatment in pursuing what you long for, do not give up too easily; persevere, as Jacob served on for Rachel through the wrong done to him. Persevere toward what you long for even through disappointment and unfair treatment, not giving up too easily, as Jacob served an additional seven years for Rachel after being deceived by Laban; for there is a perseverance that presses on through setbacks and wrongs toward what we seek, and disappointment and unfair treatment need not turn us aside from what we truly long for.

Lord, when Jacob, having served seven years for Rachel, is deceived by Laban into marrying Leah instead, he does not give up on what he longed for. He is cheated, wronged, made to wait longer than he had bargained for; yet he agrees to serve another seven years to gain Rachel, whom he loved. Jacob did not let the disappointment and unfair treatment turn him from what he longed for; he persevered, serving the additional years, enduring the wrong done to him. Show me Jacob's perseverance through disappointment and unfair treatment. He had served seven years, expecting Rachel; and he was cheated, given Leah instead, and told he must serve seven more. It was unfair, a wrong done to him, a bitter disappointment. Yet Jacob did not abandon what he longed for; he persevered, serving the additional years, to gain Rachel at last. His perseverance carried him through the setback; he did not let the wrong turn him aside. The disappointment did not defeat him. Take that to my heart, for I too can persevere toward what I long for even through disappointment and unfair treatment. I pursue things I long for, and can meet disappointment, setbacks, even unfair treatment along the way; and I can be tempted to give up. But Jacob persevered through being cheated and made to wait. There is a perseverance that presses on through disappointment rather than giving up. When I meet disappointment or unfair treatment in pursuing what I long for, keep me from giving up too easily; help me persevere, Lord, as Jacob served on for Rachel through the wrong done to him.