Questionable Practices

And God answered Leah’s prayers. She became pregnant again and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. [Genesis 30.17]

Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children. [Genesis 30.22]

I know in years past, I have made quite the deal about Jacob's multiple wives and all the "family" activity that must have been taking place during this time. But today, in the midst of all the commotion, I noticed the two accounts of prayer by Leah and Rachel. The girls were praying for children.

Regardless of what we think about polygamy and slavery (both very prevalent and apparently acceptable in the time of Jacob), we must not miss the fact that prayer was taking place. Leah and Rachel were praying! And from their prayers, the twelve tribes of Israel were born!

So, today, rather than going on a polygamy campaign or a slavery promotion, why not instead see the importance of prayer through it all? We all know that it was through these descendants of Abraham that God promised blessing - God promised deliverance - and we see that prayer played an important role in it!

There is something to learn from this! It occurred to me that what we call 'questionable practices' today, was, in fact, a matter of acceptable culture in Jacob's day. No amount of "cussing or discussing" will change it - God didn't seem to have a problem with it, and neither should we. For whatever reasons, we do not follow the same practices today, but we do PRAY!

Father, thank You for helping me to focus today on the 'prayer' of Jacob's situation rather than the questionable practices.