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"Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when they were
still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel was in childbirth, and she had hard
labor. When she was in her hard labor, the midwife said to her, 'Do
not be afraid; for now you will have another son.'
As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Ben-oni; but his father
called him Benjamin. So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath
(that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar at her grave; it is the pillar
of Rachel's
tomb, which is there to this day." Genesis 35:16-20
"So God created humankind in his image, in the image of
God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27
We were created to live in community — God wants a relationship with us, and God wants us to have
relationships with each other. What a wondrous God we are called to serve! We
have a God who anticipates our needs, hears our sighs too deep for words, and
who calls us into relationship.
As I read these words, an old-fashioned word keeps coming
to mind — fidelity,
which means the strict observance of promises and duties. Fidelity: living out
the covenant of marriage and keeping God at the center. Rachel, the much loved
wife, lived out her calling as a wife and mother. How she grieved when she was
unable to conceive. And what delight she experienced when she became pregnant.
In living out her fidelity, Rachel was called upon to leave
her homeland and to follow Jacob — even when she was in the last stages of pregnancy. I can only imagine
what fears she must have had about leaving everything that was familiar to her
and moving to a foreign country. But she did, because of her relationship with
Jacob.
In John 15, Jesus says, "As
the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my
commandments, you will abide in my love. ... love one another as I have loved
you." Jesus
promises us his fidelity. We have only to ask, and our friend and brother is
with us. How has Jesus loved us? Jesus died for us.
Each time a woman gives birth, she is willing to lay down
her life for that baby. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, her final gift of
love. Life may pass away, but love never ends.
God's
love — given to Jacob, Rachel, Joseph, Benjamin, and you and me — will never
die.
Prayer
Good and gracious God, thank you for knowing our needs and creating us to be in
community. Thank you for giving us the gift of your love
-- love that we share and pass on to our children, spouses, and
community. Thank you for giving us the example of Rachel and Jacob's
love and fidelity. Please send the Holy Spirit to us so that we may be empowered
and sanctified in our desire and will to serve you. We ask this in Jesus name.
Amen
Sandra A. LaBlanc
is director of rural ministry resources and networking for the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America and an associate in ministry with the Southeastern
Iowa Synod.
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible,
copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education
of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002 Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America. All rights reserved.
May be reproduced for use in congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America provided the copyright information above appears on every copy
with these words: Used with permission.
For all other purposes
contact Women of the ELCA.
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