again...what's in a name?

The story of Leah is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. 

Specifically the story of her children's birth. 

I've read it I've written about it I've studied it still today I learn more. 

I've always loved how she named her children. God saw me so he gave me a son Ruben which literally means Behold a son maybe my husband will love me now

God heard me so he gave me a son I'll name him Simeon, which means to be heard but again she turns to maybe my husband will love me now.

God knows me and that I'm lonely so he gave me a son and I'll name him Levi which means to be United together but again she turns to maybe my husband will love me now

But then she bore another son and even though God had seen her, and God had heard her, and God had given her love and children to love and be loved by she still was missing a connection a personal connection and she longed for that with her husband who did not want her initially did not agree to her initially she was in a marriage of opportunity and even though she was the one who was producing the children for him she still knew she was second to her sister. So would this son change that relationship between her and her husband? She didn't hope for that anymore, she realized the connection she needed was between her and her God. So this time she named her son Judah and she said I will praise God. 

And her mind and heart change she went from being consumed by the present to being consumed by the eternal and praising the God who is with her through her circumstances. And through that child God set up his kingdom here on Earth and our salvation through Christ because it's through the lineage of Judah that we get the Davidic line. 

I just love the use of our names and how much power names have.

She went on to forget and go back to "maybe my husband will love me now" because our Earthly connections are important to us and it's hard for us to remember to keep our eyes on eternity. by the time it was all over she'd bore six Sons (Issachar, his reward will come; Zebulun, dwelling of honor) and one daughter and how special that daughter is because she is spoken by name in the Bible historical record of a woman, Dinah, whose name means Justified, to be made right by God. 

Such powerful names that went on to be the tribes. 

That's all that's all I have for today I just love that once she realized she needed to praise the Lord instead of seek Earthly things God used that son and his descendants to bring us forgiveness through salvation in Jesus Christ.