Rachel

Day One
Rachel means "ewe"
Her character: She was manipulated by her father, she had little say over her own life circumstances and relationships. But rather than dealing creatively with a difficult situation, she behaved like a perpetual victim, responding to sin with yet more sin, making things worse by competing with her sister and deceiving her father in return.
Her Tragedy: That her longing for children ultimately led to her death in childbirth.
Her Joy: That her husband cherished her and would do whatever was in his power to make her happy.
Key Scriptures: Genesis 29 - 35; Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:18


Day Two
The Menstrual Cycle
Let’s just say right up front, if you are a male, I will excuse you from this daily devo if you do not wish to read further.

Rachel said to her father not to be angry that she did not stand up in his presence because she was having her period.

During this time in Scripture, Hebrew women were seen as “unclean” during their period. Laws were clear that even touching a woman or sitting where she has been sitting while on her period, would deem you unclean until evening. Her bedding was also considered unclean. Long before the invention of sanitary products. This meant that anyone who came in contact had to bathe, wash their clothes and wait until evening. A woman was considered unclean for seven days, the usual amount of time for a menstrual cycle. After that time, the woman would bathe and cleanse herself and be considered clean.

When a woman had a natural flow, there was no need for sacrifice. When there was a longer, less natural flow, usually caused by a disease, a sacrifice was required. This would cleanse the woman. Why was it so important? Blood was seen as a source of life, anything surrounding it became an important part of ceremonial law.
Nowadays, women view their period and all its discomfort as something that they must bear. They view men as lucky creatures that are spared. If we take another look at this course of action that is natural in women, we see something more wonderful. We begin to see that this particular function of the body allows us to reproduce and carry a child. It is only through this process that a woman has an opportunity not afforded to man - the opportunity to bear new life. This links us to the Creator of all life in a unique and amazing way.

Lord, I am praying especially this week as we read about Rachel that we will learn from you who we are in your eyes. Lord, will you create a new view in our eyes as to what this painfully uncomfortable nuisance was created for. We have such a unique ability to aid you in creating your purpose and will. What a delight to know that you know us better than we do. You know that we, as women, need to feel a part of the big picture and you gave us the opportunity to provide the life giving materials that children need. In this, Lord, I see that we are all made in your image, both men and women. Thank you.

Day Three
Genesis 29:30;30:1
30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
How do you think most women would respond to the situation in which Rachel found herself? With love and concern for her unloved sister? Or with a spirit of superiority and pride?
1 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!”

The agony expressed by Rachel’s words has been experienced by many women over the centuries. How did Rachel’s close relationship with Leah increase her pain? Is there any way their relationship could have eased her pain instead?
Compare the two verses.
These two sisters each had something the other wanted. What did Rachel have that Leah wanted? What did Leah have that Rachel wanted?
Discontentment is an insidious thing, trapping us into thinking that which was enough is no longer enough, and that which was satisfying is no longer satisfying. Do you ever feel discontent because you don’t “have it all”? What can you do to resist such sentiments?


Genesis 31:19, 30 -34
19 Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s.
30 And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” 31 Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ 32 With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. 33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them.

Why would Rachel even have such idols? Why do you think she hid them from her father?
When have you been in a situation that caused you to lie or cheat to protect yourself or someone else? Describe it. What could/should you have done differently?

Read Genesis 35:16-20
16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni;[a] but his father called him Benjamin.[b] 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day.

Given the fact that they were on a journey, describe in your own words the situation under which Rachel likely gave birth.
It’s one of the paradoxes of life, revealed her in this tragic story of Rachel’s death, that what we most want from life we often can only gain by giving up something else that’s equally important to us. Can you think of an instance in your own life in which gaining something you wanted required giving up something else?
Jacob renamed his new son Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand” What does this new name reveal about Jacob’s hope for the future?

Day Four
Rachel. Her legacy of Prayer.
Then God remembered Rachel; He listened to her and opened her womb. Genesis 30:22

Reflect on Genesis 30:1-24
1 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!”2 And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” 3 So she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her.” 4 Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.[a] 7 And Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “With great wrestling's I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.[b]9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife. 10 And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “A troop comes!”[c] So she called his name Gad.[d] 12 And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher.[e]14 Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” 15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” And Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.” 16 When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.[f] 19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 And Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun.[g] 21 Afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24 So she called his name Joseph,[h] and said, “The LORD shall add to me another son.”

Praise God, for He never for a moment forgets about us. He is present and attentive, aware of our deepest desires, even when we’re certain he’s lost track of us.
Offer thanks that God alone is the Creator. Because of Him, every human life is sacred.
Confess that sometimes we use our children , our husbands, our homes, or even the size of our paychecks to compete with other women.
Ask God to help you form a deep and loyal friendship with other women so you can know the joy that comes from being sisters in Christ.

Day Five
Lift your heart:
Think of a woman you would like to get to know better in the next few months. Then pick up the phone (yes I am writing this). You have to pick up the phone, then make a lunch date, invite her to a play, movie, concert, party, dinner. Make sure you build in a little time to chat so that you can begin to build a relationship. One expert says it takes an average of three years to form a solid friendship. Don’t waste another minute. For the men reading this, there is always something you can do to help your woman be able to have a healthy social life. Encourage her to pick up the phone, give her time with her girlfriends and offer to watch the kids or take care of a responsibility so she can get away.

Father, Forgive me for letting my identity rest on whose wife or mother I am or what kind of job I have. I don’t want to view other women as my rivals but as potential friends and even soul mates. Please lead me to the friendships I desire, and help me to be patient with the process. Praise you for the amazing women in my life now.