It sound strange doesn’t it? To worship” in“ grief. How can one worship “ in “ grief? We have the perfect example when we look into the book of Genesis at the story of Leah (Genesis 29;35) She was second choice, or no choice at all when you look at her story. She didn’t choose Jacob. Her father chose Jacob for her. She didn’t have the beauty of her sister, Rachael, who Jacob really wanted, and her father just wanted to give her away.
A man slept with her, but he didn’t love her. Can you imagine how Leah felt at being given away just because she’s the oldest, and no one else wanted her. Having the eyes that were pale and not as beautiful as her sister; a man marrying her because he made a bad deal with her father.
Knowing this will cause someone to not want to worship, but with each child, Leah cried out a name with a meaning.
With the first child, Reuben, “because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now, my husband will love me. She called the second child, Simeon, “ to hear”, “because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me the son also.” The third child, she called Levi, saying, “now this time, my husband will be attracted to me because I have born him three sons.
Then, the final child came and she praised the Lord and named him Judah. She knew sorrow. She knew her husband didn’t love her. She was the object of deceit. Her daughter was raped and eventually her sister died—the one who she was in competition with and never got to have their sister relationship.
Today, we honor the name Judah, Leah’s fourth child. Because through Judah, Jesus Christ was born. Through Judah, we understand praise. Through her grief she knew what it is to praise. Because we all have grieved over something as women, we know how to praise!
It ‘s time to praise! ©
“Everything that happened in your past produced you. Now what will you do with your future?”—Bishop Myles Monroe
