Everything is For Me

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

EVERYTHING IS FOR ME

Gen 42:29-38

29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. They said, 30 "The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as though we were spying on the land. 31 But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies. 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.' 33 "Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, 'This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go. 34 But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.'" 35 As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man's sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened. 36 Their father Jacob said to them, "You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!" 37 Then Reuben said to his father, "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." 38 But Jacob said, "My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow."

NIVp

This is not the end of this discussion about Benjamin going down to Egypt, but once again we see a father showing favoritism to the son of his first love, Rachel, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Israel showed favoritism to Joseph and now to Benjamin. However, this time the brothers acted more out of fear of the Lord over Egypt than out of jealousy of Benjamin. But the story is not about the sons, or Joseph, but about how Israel felt, his reaction to the demands of the Lord of Egypt to get more grain. His words, “Everything is against me!” are the lesson we must ponder. Has not God continued to bless Jacob, even changing his name to Israel. Did not God bless him with twelve sons? Did not God bless him over and over again, speaking to him, watching over him, giving him wisdom with Laban and the sheep? Did not Jacob have so much history with God that he would know God has all things in control? Yet, now he thinks, “Everything is against me!”. Did he really believe that God was against him? How is that possible after he had seen or experienced the hand of God working for him all those past years of his life? Have we not heard some of our fellow believers ask God, “Why?” Sure, many of us have had some rough patches in life where we might think why is God allowing this, or maybe even thinking that “Everything is against me!”.  Speaking on a personal note, we know what difficult times are. We know rough patches just as much as anyone, we remember those times when our heart felt the pain of loss. We also know the joy of the Lord, as we have had so many blessings it would take a book to enumerate them to the fullest, giving an accurate account in detail to give God all the praise and honor he is due. We are certain that God would never be against us, but is always for us, as he started this work in us, this transformation within us, taking us from where we were to where he wants us, which eventually is with him in glory. But for now, this path he leads us on, the light he shines before us, taking us forward with him is another transformation so we will reflect his glory in ever-increasing glory. God is always for us, we can never ever, not once, not any time, ever think, “Everything is against me!”, but instead we think, “Everything is for me!”.