Genesis 46:1-5, “So Israel took his
journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to
the God of his father Isaac. (2) And God spoke to Israel in visions of the
night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here I
am." (3) Then he said, "I am God, the God of your
father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a
great nation. (4) I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and
I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes." (5)
Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob
their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh
had sent to carry him.”
Some may think that once Jacob/Israel heard that Joseph was alive, he
would have immediately set off for Egypt. However, it was not as
straightforward or easy as some might think. We need to remember that Jacob had
been directed by God to return to Canaan, to settle and establish himself in
that land. God told Jacob that this land would be passed on to his family and
they would become a great and mighty nation. But now he has heard that his son,
Joseph, is alive and has invited him and his family to come and live in Egypt
where there is food for them. What would become of the promise, of the covenant
if Jacob were to leave Canaan and go to live in Egypt? What would happen to
their family in Egypt, would they be well received, or would they find
themselves in hostile territory? Would they have freedom, or would they be enslaved?
This is not an easy journey for Jacob.
In this midst of this God demonstrates His grace, for He is aware of
Jacob’s fears, therefore God speaks to Jacob with kindness. God speaks in the same
way He had spoken to Jacob when he fled from his brother and when he went to be
reconciled with his brother. He calls on Jacob not to be filled with fear over
the present or the future, for He in His sovereign providence is working all
things out in accordance with His will. God assures Jacob that the promise, the
covenant will continue to stand, his family in the time to come will return to
that land and will return as great nation. God promises to continue to be with
Jacob, to prosper and protect Jacob and the generations that follow after him.
God also promises to Jacob that he will die in peace and in the company of his
long lost son Joseph.
As believers in Jesus Christ we have the comfort and the assurance
that God is aware of all that which we have to endure. He knows every situation
and circumstance right down to the very finest details. He also knows of the
battles that take place within us when it comes to making difficult decisions,
especially ones that may have a long and lasting impact upon our lives and the
lives of our children. The comfort and assurance come not just from knowing
that God knows it all, but more from the fact that God seeks to aid, help and
guide us through these times in His grace and kindness to us. Therefore we do
not face the journey into the unknown alone, nor do we have to make hard
decisions on our own, and in our own wisdom. God gives us His Spirit and His
Word through which He speaks to us, comforts us, reminds us of His presence and
assures us of His help and guidance. The challenge is for us not to make
decisions in our own strength, but to earnestly seek after God’s guidance. If
we do this we have that wonderful promise in Hebrews 4 that when we ask, God
will send us the help that we need in our time of need.
Gracious and kind
Father, we thank You today that You know all things. We thank You that You not
only know all things, but You also extend to us Your help when we are faced
with difficult times and decisions. We thank You that You remain with us
through those times, giving us wisdom and strength. We also thank You, that even
when we make wrong choices, Your grace is there, ready to forgive and to help
us endure whatever the consequences of that poor choice might be. We pray that
You would help us to lean upon Your more and to seek after Your wisdom more
than we seek after our own. Help us and lead us to make decisions that are
wise, that reflect our faith and trust in You and lead to Your honour and
glory. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment