By Joy Victor Osazuwa
One of the saddest sentences in the Bible is Genesis chapter 35 verse 19, it says…”And Rachel died….”
If you know who Rachel was to Jacob and what she represented in his life, you’ll understand why this is a very sad sentence.
Rachel was Jacob’s first love.
The woman he worked for 7 years to marry.
Worked another 7 years after the sister was deceitfully given to him, because he wanted Rachel, not Leah.
He worked another 7 years to get money to take them home.
Rachel represented Jacob’s youthful strength.
She represented his life’s labour.
She was a summary of his surjourn.
Have you ever invested all your life, resources, time, youth, effort, emotions in something and then lost that thing?
That’s the picture of Rachel.
Rachel is a retirement plan,
A lifetime of work and investment.
But Rachel died.
Imagine the pains of knowing that all you worked for is gone with the wind.
Imagine waking up one day to realize that you have nothing to show for your 21 years of toil.
Imagine realizing that the very thing that you lived for has been taken away from you.
How would you feel?
But the next two verses gives a clear guide on what is expected.
Verse 20, Jacob buried Rachel.
Verse 21: And Israel moved on.
Yes, you should learn to bury what is dead and move on.
Stop crying over a relationship that wasted years of your life.
Stop being a victim of someone’s wickedness to you.
Don’t give anyone the opportunity to hold you down in pain and regret.
Refuse another man to make you the victim in your own story.
The man left you, and so what?
They stole from you, and so what?
They betrayed you, and so what?
Stop repeating the story of your pains.
Bury Rachel.
I know that Rachel was all you’ve always wanted, but you can’t stop your journey of destiny because Rachel died.
Bury her and move on.
No matter how beautiful your past was, it shouldn’t stop you from exploring the future.
Mourn the lost relationship.
Mourn the lost job.
Mourn the pains.
Cry if you may
But when you’re done crying,
Wipe your tears and move on.
For when there is Life, there’s hope.
A living dog is better than a dead Lion.
Restoration is here.
Let Rachel go.
The next phase begins with Benjamin.
….to be continued.
Credit.. Joy Victor Osazuwa
