QT 12/29/2021 Gen 42:35-38; 45:26-28, Moving on with life

 UPDATE: This quiet time was originally written 3 Jan 2013 and has been updated with some new thoughts.

 

Genesis 42:35–38 (ESV) —

35 As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36 And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.” 37 Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” 38 But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

 

NOTE: Jacob shows very little courage. He has already given up on ever seeing Simeon again. Reuben's argument is both ridiculous and strong. Jacob is not going to kill his grandchildren, no matter what happens, but the argument does seem to get his father's attention. Jacob is in a major pity party. His statement "everything is against me" is a good picture of the last 17 years of his life. For a man who once had everything going for him, even when Laban was against him, he is now in a funk and has completely forgotten God's previous protection. This is no longer the man who struggle with God and prevailed, the man God renamed Israel (meaning God's warrior). This is a shell of that previous man whom the scriptures now call Jacob. What is it with Jacob that it takes 20 years to learn a lesson. It took 20 years of conniving with Laban to learn that God is the real provider. It takes almost 20 years without Joseph to realize that God is in control.

This highlights a failure of most believers, when times are hard, we quickly forget the miracles of the past and allow our emotions to dictate our response to circumstances. In one sense, this is good--we do need to let our emotions out and to recognize how we feel. But when it continues for years, then we are living in a pity party and are not seeking God. One could argue that Jacob's response is a very short term emotional outburst, but I wonder. In Gen 45:26-28, when Jacob learns Joseph is alive, he is stunned ("… his heart became numb"), and his spirit "revives." For 17 years, Jacob let his pain rule his life, at the end of chapter 45, he lets God rule again. Coincidentally , in the next verse after his revival, the scripture uses the name God gave him (vs 28, "And Israel said ….).

 

PONDER:

1. Is there something that has happened in the past that I can't let go of, and is it affecting my walk and spirit today?
2. Am I struggling because I can't let go of bitterness toward an individual?
3. Do I need to repent and heal a relationship?

 

PRAYER: Father, reveal to me areas of my life I have hidden from myself. Show me where I need to takes steps to heal a relationship. Show me where I need to let go of past hurts. Help me to move on. Revive my spirit Lord, revive my spirit.