READING: Genesis 42-45
Sometimes the stories of the Bible make me laugh out loud, even though they weren’t likely intended for that purpose. It just seems that the fallenness and futility of human beings are sometimes so obvious that you wonder how anyone could miss it. The beginning of today’s reading is one of those stories.
Famine had set in. It was “severe in every land” (Gen 41:57). People from all over the region were coming to Egypt, where Joseph’s wise leadership had prepared them for the coming famine. Jacob and his family in Israel apparently bore the pain of the famine, too—but his sons did nothing about it. It’s no wonder their father asked them the question that makes me chuckle today: “Why do you keep looking at each other?” (Gen 42:1). They needed food, but the brothers did nothing but stand around helplessly looking at each other.
I wonder how often that’s the case with our own Christian obedience. There are times when we already know what we need to do. We just need to do it.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Is there something you just need to do today?
DAILY PRAYER: “God, help me not to let inactivity hinder my faithfulness and trust.”
MONDAY’S READING: Genesis 46-49
