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Mini-Worship
September 19-24,2022
1. Take a deep breath and center yourself before God
2. Enter God’s Presence
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b
1 O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
7 He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He is mindful of his covenant for ever,
of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan
as your portion for an inheritance."
45b Praise the LORD!
3.Confession:
O, Risen Lord, Sovereign God, thanks for your all-knowing, all wise, all power, all love. I come to you. I pour out me to you (silence, tell God …). Cleanse me. Reset me. Redirect me. Come, be my center, be my Lord. I entrust myself in your care. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
4. Reading
Genesis 29:15-28
15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah’s eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. 18Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. 23But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24(Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) 25When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26Laban said, “This is not done in our country — giving the younger before the firstborn. 27Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.
5. Thoughts to share:
What God was doing to Jacob? What was the will of God? Would you wander if you were Jacob? Was God against him or for him? if you were in this family dynamics, how would you feel? Whom could you trust? Can you see: who was the poor victim in this family dynamics? Who was the one not having disappointment? Who was the Lord of that dynamics?
It is a lovely story. It is also a confusing story. It only took distance of time that we are allowed see a larger of picture of God’s will. What we know is:
First, Though Jacob did not love Leah as much as Rachel, God blessed the time when they were together. They had six sons and one daughter together. Having sons at that time was considered as a sign of blessing and favor of God. In contrast, Rachel did not have children at once after her marriage with Jacob. She was not very happy about this.
Second, though Liah did not win full favor of Jacob, she poured her heart out to God. She believed that God saw and heard her heart’s desires. When she could not find hope of a change in Jacob’s heart after Judah was born, she still decided to give praises God anyway. This Judah was the ancestor of David and human Jesus. On the other hand, God gave Joseph to Rachel after she begged and cried to God. Joseph was the one who saved the entire Jacob's family clan when a famine hit them. He upheld the promise of God to Jacob and remotely prepared for the coming of Messiah Jesus through the tribe of Judah.
So, what do we see? It was God’s will and pleasure that Jacob married Leah. God participated in that switch. Leah was the chosen one for Jacob. God honored that marital relationship. Leah did not win the full love of Jacob. She might have been disappointed but she was not discouraged. She put trust in God in the complicated family dynamics. She let God to vindicate her place.
Every day we face a real world in which we are confused with all kinds of human relationship dynamics. We are impacted. We may not feel comfortable and we may not know what to do. Was God in our human relationship matrix? Yes, his will will ultimately be prevailed.
6. Prayer suggestion:
Are you in any difficult relationship dynamics? Are you confused if God is in the midst? Are you wondering if God’s will for you is hindered? Trust in God. Praise God anyway.
7. Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
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