Jacob
January 30
Genesis 29:9-20
Seven short years
After many days, Jacob was near Haran; the place where he would look for a wife from his own people.
As he talked to some shepherds at a well, Laban’s daughter Rachel arrived with her flock of sheep. Jacob wasted no time in rolling away the heavy stone that covered the well so her flock could drink.
When Rachel found out that Jacob was a relative of theirs, she ran home to tell her father about him, and Jacob stayed with their family for a month. Then Rachel’s father Laban said to Jacob, “I don’t expect you to work for nothing just because we are related. How much do you want to be paid?”
Jacob replied, “I will work for you for seven years if I may marry your daughter Rachel.”
Laban agreed and Jacob worked for him for seven years, even though it seemed like only a few days because he loved Rachel so much.
Why must I go to school for so many years?
For Jacob, it took seven years of hard work to get what he wanted (in fact, it took twice as long). You will probably spend even more years studying and working hard at school to get what you want some day.
Things that are worthwhile and lasting take time. Even creation took time. God could have brought everything into being in a split-second. But it took time and effort to make it perfect. In fact, God put so much into creating everything just right that He rested from all his work on the seventh day.
Work hard and you will be rewarded for your effort. The work might be really difficult or it might be easy. Whatever the task, always give it your best; and when you look back, your years of hard work will seem like a few days.
Verse for today
The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5
