How difficult it must have been for Leah to be the unmarried, unloved first-born daughter of Laban. Worse still, to see a man come and so love your younger sister while you yearn and hope that one day the tides will turn for you. So loved was Rachel by Jacob that the Bible records, _“So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.”_ (Genesis 29:20). To help her daughter with this love problem, Laban devised a plan where Jacob was given Leah to be his wife unknowingly. Unfortunately, this only worsened Leah’s situation because now she had a husband who did not love her, who denied her love.

This is the case for some of us. We are denied love by the people that ought to love us. It could be a case of a polygamous family where one wife or one family is unloved and ill-treated. Or it could be a case of siblings where the parents play favouritism, and one child is denied love. Or even the case of abandonment – spousal abandonment or child abandonment. Or any other case. Bottom line is this: It pains deeply, and the scars remain for quite some time unless healing is received. Yet here is the good news in all these – God sees those who are denied love. The Bible records that when God saw that Leah was hated, He gave her children while her younger sister remained barren. The Lord showcased His love for Leah by giving her children. The only problem was that Leah was trying so hard to gain her husband’s love through the children as suggested by the names until the fourth child that she named Judah, saying, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ Let us then learn from this story and choose to look to the God who sees us in our loveless state and showcases His own love for us. And in response, let us praise Him!

1. Was Jacob in the wrong for not loving his first wife Leah even though he did not want her but Rachel in the first place?

2. Have you been denied love? Look to the God that has loved you with an eternal love.