As I read the story of Rachel (Genesis 29: 9-12, 16-26; 30: 1-23a; 35:24), I wondered what she might have said now looking back at how her story unfolded. This is my opinion of what she might have said.

 

“I thought that I could get by on my looks, fancy clothes, and my father’s money. You know my name means ‘ewe’ or sheep, the sign of our wealth. I am my father’s youngest daughter and it is my job to shepherd his sheep. One day while taking the sheep to the well I met Jacob; we fell for each other from the start. He loved me so much that he agreed to work seven years to marry me. Then my father tricked him into marrying my sister. Even after all of that he still worked another seven years just for me.

I know that my husband loves me beyond measure, but I’m barren. I set and jealously watched as my sister had son after son after son, for my husband. I felt that God was taking to long to give me children, so I gave my maidservant Bilhah (Bill-hah) as a concubine. The two sons that she had, by custom, are considered mine but I wanted children from my own womb.

Then I realized that barrenness is not just a lack of children, it is also a lack of hope and a lack of trust in God. It wasn’t until I started trusting God that He remembered me and answered my pleading and made it possible for me to have children. By God’s Grace, I bore two sons; Joseph and Benjamin.”

 

It was not that Rachel didn’t believe in God, it was that she didn’t wait on God. Like Rachel, when I decided that God was taking too long, I tried to take matters into my own hands; with disastrous results. I had to learn that God delays some things because He is preparing us to handle our blessings. Wait on the Lord!