READING: Genesis 45:16–47:27
The days must have been agonizing days for Jacob, the father. As far as he knew, his son, Joseph, was dead. With each day that passed, his hope surely dissipated. Quite unexpectedly, though, his sons told him that Joseph was still alive! Jacob didn’t believe them at first, but their further details of conversations with Joseph in Egypt convinced him otherwise. His hope rose again—so much so that he prepared to go to Egypt with his sons.
In the midst of all that, God appeared to Jacob in a dream. He assured Jacob that all would be well: “I am God,, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes” (Gen 46:3-4). God supernaturally told him that though he would die in Egypt, his son Joseph would be with him at the time.
And, what did God do? What He always does: He kept His word. Jacob and Joseph were reunited. Joseph wept and held his father for a long time, and Jacob confessed his willingness to die now that he had seen his son again. How sweet the reunion must have been!
Some day, we will have another kind of reunion—our reunion with loved ones who passed away. That hope, too, is sure because God still keeps His word.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: With whom do you most need to be reunited?
TODAY’S PRAYER: “God, I praise You for the promise of reunion.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Genesis 47:28–50:26
