now the famine was severe in the land. and when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from egypt, their father said to them, “go again, buy us a little food.” but judah said to him, “the man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘you shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ if you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘you shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you. [genesis 43:1-5]
God will have his way.
just a few verses earlier, jacob was adamant that benjamin would not be returning to egypt with his brothers. he would rather risk the starvation of the entire family than risk the safety of his youngest son. but here they are, out of food, and out of hope, and jacob is desperate.\
God often has to bring us to the end of our rope in order for us to turn and step into the plan. not that we can ever really thwart God’s plans by turning this way or that, but in his mercy, he causes all things to work together for the good of his children. God has a plan to reunite this family, and to save his chosen people, israel. and God will have his way.
in what ways has God brought you to a desperate place in which you turned and cried out for mercy? praise him for his mercy! are you in that place right now? come and cry out at the feet of your Great High Priest, Jesus. he bled and died to make you right with the Father and he promises to do what it takes to keep you right with the Father. sometimes that means stripping you of hope in anything else. he is waiting for you.
therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. for the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. for a people shall dwell in zion, in jerusalem; you shall weep no more. he will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. as soon as he hears it, he answers you. and though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. [isaiah 30:18-20]
we don’t always get to know the specifics of why the Lord gives what he gives. but we do know he is good. we do know that he works things together for our good. we do know that everything we go through is to cause us to turn to him, so that he can draw us nearer, see him more clearly, know him more deeply. don’t miss it. God will have his way. trust him!
~ arwen eastman