Do Something

DEVOTION

GENESIS

DO SOMETHING

Gen 42:1-5

42:1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?" 2 He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die." 3 Then ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. 5 So Israel's sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.

NIV

We have heard it said, idol hands are the devil’s workshop, which is a paraphrased version of a proverb.

Prov 16:27 27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are as a scorching fire.

NASB

Here we have the tens sons of Jacob apparently doing evil as they were being idol, just looking at each other. Certainly it was their responsibility to provide for the herds and flocks and to look after the fields. They were supposed to make sure the whole family had food. Yet with the famine, they stopped trying to do something and just sat around looking at each other, as if that was going to solve the problem. Talk is good, but action is much better. Oh sure they might have being waiting for God to do something, but he already did. He raised up Joseph, their brother, to be the second in command of all Egypt and gave him the wisdom through a dream to Pharaoh to store up so much grain all of Egypt as well the other lands around them would have food. Besides, we are not told they were praying to God for a solution to the famine, they were just looking at each other. This could also mean they were expecting one of them to have the solution. Maybe they were trying to make some plans for a solution, but it was all talk and no action. But Jacob had heard about the grain storage in Egypt and told them to go and but some. Our lesson is in this principle of idol hands are the devil’s workshop. It is good to trust the Lord for all we have, all we are and all we do. That is one of the key words, do. Yes, there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation for Jesus did it all. But just as God instructed Adam, the first man to tend the garden, he instructs us to tend ours. Some would say God told Adam to be a conservationist, but alas that may not be the instructions. After Adam was cast out, God told him he would toil the ground all the days of his life.

Gen 3:17-19

 "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

NIV

Because we use some of scripture to live by, we have to use all of scripture to live by. The sons of Jacob were not toiling all of their days, they were just sitting around looking at each other. We too cannot just sit around and look at each other expecting God to provide our every need supernaturally. He provided for them through the wisdom he gave to Joseph. He uses all sorts of means to provide for us. He might use an unbeliever to hand over some of their money for our use. He might inspire a believer to ask us if we need a job. He might inspire an unbeliever to hire us, so we can work. so we can toil, even painfully, all the days of our lives, so we can eat. God never intended for us to store up so we can retire and sit back looking at all our wealth, relying on it for the rest of our days.

Luke 12:16-21

16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." 

NIV

It is about working, not being idol, but also about trusting in God, and sharing our wealth with those in need, not lending it, sharing it. But here in this narrative the sons of Jacob need to travel to Egypt and buy grain. They needed to move into action in order that their family did not starve to death. We need this kind of action in our lives, all the days of our lives. Yes, many believers do store up and retire with plenty to live and not die. But we are not a part of that kind of believer. We accept the fact God orders our footsteps and he has determined we are to toil all the days of our life. Maybe someday that might change and he will provide another way. But we will not just sit around looking at each other, we will go and get food so we can eat and not die.