Scripture for the Day
Genesis 30:14-23 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, "Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes." But she said to her, "Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?" Rachel said, "Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes." When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes." So he lay with her that night. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Leah said, "God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband." So she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons." So she called his name Zebulun. Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, "God has taken away my reproach." And she called his name Joseph, saying, "May the LORD add to me another son!"

Thought for the Day The story has moved on in Genesis and now we are in the midst of the sage of Jacob and his pair of competitive wives, Leah and Rachel. Leah seems to be able to get pregnant just looking at him, which Rachel is loved, adored, cherished -- and childless, with the result that she is miserable. Mandrakes are root vegetables that it was believed had the capacity to help a woman become pregnant, thus Rachel was eager to get hold of them and the contest between her and her sister continued. However, in due course, months, possibly years, later she managed to conceive and Joseph was born. The dynamics in families are always complex, and even more so in blended families like this. There is much that we can learn about the challenges of living in families by reading how biblical people struggled with their particular set of difficulties.

Thanksgiving for the Day We praise and thank God for our children and our family lives.

Intercession for the Day Let us pray for those who are struggling with family issues.

Collect for the Day Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, new and for ever. Amen (From Common Worship)

Readings for the Day Genesis 29:31-30:24, Psalm 30, 1 Corinthians 9:1-12, John 19:1-16