Genesis 42:1-45:15

The famine has spread from Egypt to Canaan and Joseph’s family is running low on food. Jacob hears that there is grain available in Egypt and he sends his sons to go buy some. When Joseph’s brothers come before him Joseph is very moved. Through a series of events Joseph has his brothers bring his biological brother Benjamin to him and then Joseph reveals that he is their brother.

There is a stark contrast between Jacob and Joseph in this story. Both are very emotional, Joseph is emotional believing that he and his family are about to be reunited, Jacob is emotional fearing that he might lose another beloved son. Joseph is emotional out of anticipation of God’s blessing. Jacob is emotional in anticipation of some impending doom.

Jacob seems to have lost any sense that he can trust God. He seems to have reacted to Joseph’s “death” in a manner very similar to how I have seen contemporary parents react to the death of a child. How could God let this happen? God must not be good and loving and caring. I understand this reaction, but I want to believe that great personal tragedy would pull me closer to God rather than separate me from God.

What can we as Christians do for people who have experienced deep personal tragedy? I do not believe that I can understand their pain; the only thing that I can do is be available to them. As a pastor, the first time I had to help someone work through the death of their spouse, I sat with them, and prayed with them and then they needed to take a nap because they were exhausted. During their nap I washed the dirty dishes and picked up the house. It was later expressed to me that those actions were what they appreciated most. We need to be available to people.