Good Morning Friends,
The time came when Joseph’s brothers came to
Egypt to buy food because of the famine. Jacob first sent ten of his sons,
keeping Benjamin at home with him. Jacob had not changed, he still treated the
sons of his favored wife with greater love than his other sons. Like he had
shown Joseph favor years earlier, now he was showing favoritism to Benjamin.
But though Jacob had not changed, the
brothers had. When they arrived in Egypt, Joseph recognized them but they did
not recognize him. He kept Simeon in Egypt in prison and demanded that they
bring their younger brother back with them as a test before Simeon would be released.
When the brothers arrived back at their
father’s house, Jacob refused to send Benjamin to Egypt. Simeon stayed in
prison with Jacob unwilling to risk Benjamin to rescue him. But the famine continued
and the food ran out again and they had to return to Egypt. They could not
return without Benjamin. Both Reuben and Judah vowed to protect Benjamin.
Reuben declared, “You may put both of my sons
to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will
bring him back.” (Genesis 42:37)
And Judah said, “Send the boy along with me
and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not
die. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible
for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will
bear the blame before you all my life.” (Genesis 43:8-9)
God was at work in the lives of the sons of
Jacob. They had not stayed the way they had been earlier when they were so
angry at the unfairness of their father’s favoritism that they got rid of Joseph.
Now they were willing to put themselves and their families at risk to protect
the favored son.
Consider your own life and how you’ve changed
and grown over the years. If God is at work in your life, you’re not the same
as you were years ago. God is faithful to work in the lives of His children. Rejoice
in the changes He has made in you!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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