"The Shepherds Way" E.W.King: One-sided Love

ONE-SIDED LOVE.

By Olawale Ogunsola

Love is like a bird, Every bird has two wings to be able to fly high and far. So it is with love between two persons. Every love that is one-sided is already wounded and cannot claim to be healthy. Anything can happen to a one-sided lover.

You can read more in my article titled "Love Is A Bird" at www.4thlink.wordpress.com.

Let us consider a few things (experience) about a one-sided love and lover using Leah as a case study.

Who is Leah? She was a daughter of Laban, a brother of Rebekah the wife of Isaac. She became the wife of Jacob by trickery of her father which he played on his sister's son, Jacob who came to dwell with him.

By circumstances beyond her control, she found herself in the house of a husband who did not need her. On her wedding day, Jacob, the husband made it known to his father-in-law.
"What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I
served you? Why then have you deceived me?" Genesis 29:25.NKJV.

So she was a victim of deceit. At this point as an obedient daughter, who followed her father's instructions, she could not help herself. This was the beginning of her sorrow. To be unloved in a marital home is a source of serious affliction. Why? You have left your people to cleave to a husband but he became an enemy, he hates you. Leah had the same experience in Genesis 29:32c.
"The Lord has surely looked on my afflictions " For this reason, he named his son Reuben.

As at that time, she craves love from someone to whom she could attach herself. Her sorrow becomes known again, when she said,
" Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also." Gen 29:33.

However, love was not forthcoming from the right and expected source, her husband. He stayed away from her in his heart. Leah was a stranger in Jacob's heart if not worse than that.

No attachment because there was no love between them although Leah believed that giving birth to three sons one after the other can attach Jacob to her but no! She missed it well! Love leads to attachment. Love is the gum to be used to attach them together but it was missing. Gen 29:34 states,
"Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons."
So long that no love existed from Jacob towards Leah, no dwelling could take place. Every marriage ought to attain this stage, where love exists. This failed to take place in Leah's life because no love existed. Her expectations was,
" God has endowed me with a good endowment ; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons." Gen 30:20.

Did her expectation come true? No! Jacob rubbished all that Leah saw as an effective instrument to buy his love thus,
"You know that my wife (Rachel) bore me two sons..." Gen 44:27b

He was referring to Rachel and her two sons, Joseph and Benjamine. In Jacob's heart, he had only two sons and one wife. He made the above statement many years after Rachel's demise (Gen 35:19). Leah was still alive, but he did not dwell with her, although they dwelt under the same roof.

No wonder then that it was not difficult for him to curse three sons of Leah. Reuben, Simon and Levi (Genesis 49:3-7). However, no curse came upon any of the two children of Rachel, Joseph and Benjamine.

It is not possible, dear reader that you are in Leah's shoes or there is someone near you who is experiencing affliction like Leah, I am happy to inform you that there is a sure way out.

When Leah saw that love and attachments were not forthcoming from her husband, she turned to her Maker, she said,
"Now I will praise the Lord." - Genesis 29:35.

The fourth child who was named Judah, ie Praise, had a very strong destiny incomparable with anyone else's. You can read this in Genesis 49:8-12.
Praise the Lord. Love Him wholeheartedly. Be attached to Him. Dwell with the Lord for ever until eternity. He is coming soon to take home His bride, are you one of them? If not become one today and be rooted in His love.

Stay blessed and prepare for His coming.
Note All Scripture quotations are from New King James Version.