Genesis 46 begins the reunion story. Joseph had sent his brothers back to get Jacob and the entire clan. Remember that Jacob is a very old guy by now but he is ready to go and see his son Joseph. And he didn’t do it half heartedly – scripture says he “set out on the journey with everything he owned”. That is all in, whole hearted faith. No holding back, no little set aside just in case it didn’t work out. Along the way God spoke to Jacob, now called Israel. I love the response when Israel sees the vision: “I’m listening”. Yesterday I wrote about finding God’s plan, and I am convinced that a big part of that is learning this simple truth – we need to listen. I think for many of us we are so busy doing things we don’t ever stop long enough to even see if God is speaking to us. We live in a world filled with noise, and we miss what God has to say just because we never allow any silence. Have you ever just sat in silence for a while – even 10 minutes? OK ever is a strong exaggeration, but do you do it regularly? How about in a group – silence is something we are more and more uncomfortable with yet is is important for the listening process. We can’t listen if we can’t hear above the noise of life. We need to make sure we are taking time to listen and seek God – quietly, silently, consistently. We will be amazed at what we hear if we only listen.
Scripture gives us another sign of Jacob being all in when it tells us he “brought everyone in his family with him”. Remember how in past chapters things were split up and spread apart just to make sure everyone didn’t face demise at once if things went bad. Not here, not now. Jacob is all in. The chapter lists all his decendents that make the trip and scripture points out that the number including the son’s of Joseph – “the members of Jacob’s family who ended up in Egypt numbered seventy”. No little caravan to haul across the desert. When Jacob and the group approach – Joseph’s response reminds me so much of the prodigal son – although maybe this is the case of the prodigal father. He didn’t run away, but God prepared a place for Jacob and his family to come home to that was undeserved and not worked for. Joseph wept for a long time in his joy. His lost family has been reunited and he is able to make a difference in their lives because of the work God has done in and through him. Joseph didn’t see the details when he was sold into slavery or put in prision or separated from his father and family for so many years. He had no real clue of what God was up to. He only stayed obedient and served as God gave him opportunity. God took care of all the details. God managed the entire plan. Joseph walked in faith and was available as God gave opportunity. Trust and obey – there is no other way!
