Today I read Genesis 43. As I was reading this chapter today, I couldn't help but think about how we are all tested in one way or another in life. So much of what we do requires faith. I really do feel sorry for Jacob, he lost his favorite child and his youngest child, which he probably would have doted on anyway, but since he was the only other child of his favorite wife, Rachel, doubly dotes on him, is required at the hands of a stranger. This was his Abrahamic test in my opinion. Abraham was required to offer a sacrifice of Isaac to God. Jacob felt like if he left Benjamin go up to Egypt that he would lose him for sure but if he did not send up Benjamin, his entire family would perish. It was a true lose lose situation.
He had to take it on faith that God would bring his children back to him in this life and if not in this life, then the next. It would be a truly hard thing to handle honestly. My perspective has changed so much since having a child. Stories that I used to read and wonder why the person reacted in such a way now make perfect sense now that I have a daughter. The story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac was always hard to understand, but it has become downright impossible to even imagine now that I have a child of my own. I couldn't do it. If God came to me and asked me to sacrifice my daughter to Him, I couldn't do it. I'm not strong enough to let her go. I hope and pray each and every day that I am not one of those who are tested with losing their child before I go because I can already tell I am not strong enough for that. I think I would succumb to despair.
And so Jacob was also convinced that if Benjamin went up to Egypt, he would lose his youngest son. So convinced was he of this fact that he refused to send his sons back until there was a want of food and they would have perished. I often wonder what changed Jacob's mind. Was it the impending doom facing his entire family? Was it faith that all would be well? What happened that caused him to allow Benjamin to leave his sight? We probably will never know until all things are revealed. Whatever changed, Jacob still had to have faith that God would protect his sons, just like we all have to have faith that our loved ones will be cared for. Truly that is all we can do, because everything is in God's hands. We have to have faith and trust Him at some point. We have to know that it will all turn out for the best. I'm sure some people don't look at it that way, but really that's what we are all doing. Just as our earthly children trust their earthly parents. It never fails to amuse and amaze me how almost everything good here on this earth is a type and shadow of heavenly things! It makes me smile. Until tomorrow.
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