"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." 1 Peter 5:10

The story of Leah has always intrigued me. Read Genesis 29:15-30. Leah gave so much to her husband, seven children for starters! And yet she was always second best. Maybe she was plain or lacked a sense of humor, or any number of things that made her less appealing than her sister. Whatever the reason, Leah was not adored by her husband as her sister Rachel was. It was her grief all of her life.

And what about you? Have you ever felt second best, unimportant, or unappreciated? Are you living in the shadow of a sibling, or worse... your spouse? Do you spend your days grieving because you have been told that you are not good enough? If so, be encouraged by the example of Leah. Even though her husband never considered her to be the best at anything, even though she lived in someone's shadow every day of her life, it was from her line of descendants that Jesus Christ came.

Leah's worth was not attributed to her looks or to the affections she could win from a man. She left a legacy of descendants that would become more than just memorable. Celebrate your identity in Him and rejoice this day!

• Bible Readings for the Week Ahead:
• Monday: 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5
• Tuesday: Hebrews 3:14
• Wednesday: 1 Peter 2:5
• Thursday: Matthew 5:13
• Friday: Matthew 5:14
• Saturday: 1 Corinthians 12:27
• Sunday: 1 Peter 2:9-10