Judah was to become an ancestor of Jesus (cf Heb 7:14). Therefor Leah was involved in Jesus' family line.
Jacob's time with Laban prolonged his feelings of love for Rachel & the continued lack of love for Leah. The passage demonstrates the complexity and confusion that polygamy brings. It hardly commends polygamy. It serves as a warning and reminder for us today that God's ways are best.
After 6 years have passed, Jacob the deceiver is now changed - he is listening to God and seeking to be obedient to Him. He is seeking to live honestly and is up-front with Laban when questioned. He recognises God's hand on him. It is clear throughout this chapter that Jacob has come to a deeper knowledge of God.
A number of factors combine together to make Jacob's return more possible - the change of attitude from Laban, God's hand on him and revealing Himself to Jacob, and simply, the passing of time, so memories are dimmed. Wise choices, compromise and living at peace together before God were all put as priorities, so that Jacob and Laban were able to get on, rather than continue in animosity and hostility.
No matter how much we may move from God, He is still willing to use us, meet with us and be gracious to us.
Jacob's prayer to God is good in that He addresses God reverently. He recognises His hand on Him. However, he doesn't recognise his own sin and its consequences, rather neglecting it for the request for salvation. He was relying on both God and his own resourcefulness, which perhaps suggests his reliance on God wasn't as complete as it should have been.
The picture of Jacob wrestling with God is one that is true throughout Jacob's life. Jacob's prayer is one that we can pray, but the consequences and circumstances of our prayer may be very different to Jacob's.
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