Broken promises

Have you ever has someone tell you they were going to do something and then they didn't do it? How did it make you feel? Lets look at a broken promise from the word of God and how those involved responded.

Gen 29:1
SO Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East.
Gen 29:2
And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well's mouth.
Gen 29:3
Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well's mouth.
Gen 29:4
And Jacob said to them, "My brethren, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran."
Gen 29:5
Then he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him."
Gen 29:6
So he said to them, "Is he well?" And they said, "He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep."
Gen 29:7
Then he said, "Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them."
Gen 29:8
But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep."
Gen 29:9
Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
Gen 29:10
And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
Gen 29:11
Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
Gen 29:12
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son. So she ran and told her father.
Gen 29:13
Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things.
Gen 29:14
And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month.
Gen 29:15
Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?"
Gen 29:16
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Gen 29:17
Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.
Gen 29:18
Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."
Gen 29:19
And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."
Gen 29:20
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
Gen 29:21
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."
Gen 29:22
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
Gen 29:23
Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her.
Gen 29:24
And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.
Gen 29:25
So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?"
Gen 29:26
And Laban said, "It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
Gen 29:27
"Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years."
Gen 29:28
Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.
Gen 29:29
And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid.
Gen 29:30
Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.
Gen 29:31
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Gen 29:32
So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben;[fn1] for she said, "The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me."
Gen 29:33
Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.[fn2]
Gen 29:34
She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.[fn3]
Gen 29:35
And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now I will praise the LORD." Therefore she called his name Judah.[fn4] Then she stopped bearing.

Jacob was following his father's command by going to the east and seeking out his uncle Laban. Before he found him he found the love of his life Rachel. Once he realized this was his uncles daughter he knew this would be his wife and he would receive favor from the Lord for honoring his earthly fathers command and for the word sake" he that finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. So Jacob asked his uncle for his daughters hand in marriage, Laban responded by saying let us enter into a covenant with one another work for me 7 years and I will give you Rachel as your wife. Jacob was delighted and worked the 7 years to obtain his "good thang" Rachel. After the 7 years and the time of service was over Jacob requested his due share which was his "good thang". Laban broke his promise to Jacob and used religion to excuse it. In doing this he caused his two daughters to be at odds with one another for years.

One could bare children the one who was not lovely and the lovely one could not bear children at all her womb was shut up. This brought strife into Jacob's home. He had no desire for Leah but Rachel he loved, and where Leah could not get his affection she could give him children. She used this as a weapon against her sister to taunt her and lord over her. Due to Rachel's disappointment of not being able to bear children she offered up her maidservant to bear children for her, opening yet another door and causing more pain. Jacob endured a lot to get his "good thang" he suffered a broken heart and lived with broken promises from his own family.

So when you are dealing with the broken promises in your life hang on to the many promises the Lord has give you. He promised to make you the head and not the tail, to bless you and not curse you, to give you hope and a future.
Be encouraged