No Matter What
I had prayed fervently and was believing for a miracle. Instead, I found myself reeling from the bad news. Several years ago, my husband was facing an unbelievable increase in costs for the properties he manages and, while he was on the phone debating the challenges, I was behind the scenes calling out to God. That’s the benefit of working part time in his office. It allows me to pray with understanding right on the premises. Knowing he was in the middle of a huge battle, I was pleading with the Lord on his behalf. But after several hours of negotiating, the news was not good. Costs were skyrocketing. How would the company survive such a huge increase? It seemed as if everything was against us. Even though I had prayed.
Where does our faith go when it seems our prayers are unanswered? Can we still praise Him when the news isn’t what we expected? The football team in the movie, Fighting the Giants, learned to declare: “I praise Him when I win; I praise Him when I lose.” That’s the challenge. Do we need God’s blessings to build our faith or will we trust Him no matter what? It took a while but my husband eventually saw God provide where he didn’t think it was possible. In the following passage, we will see how Jacob thought everything was against him when He had no idea how God was about to reverse his circumstances.
Read Genesis 42:22-28
1. What did Reuben say to his brothers? What stands out the most to you in Reuben’s reply?
2. What do you notice about Joseph’s response when he heard the brothers arguing? Which of the brothers did Joseph have bound?
3. How did Joseph test his brothers this time? What detail seems important to you in verse 28?
Read Genesis 42:29-38
4. How did Jacob respond to his sons’ story? Have you ever felt the way Jacob did in verse 36B?
5. What did Reuben promise his father? How does this compare with what happened in Genesis 37:21-22?
6. Why do you think Jacob make this final decision?
Jacob blamed his sons for his distress. Knowing their character, he may have feared they had swindled the Egyptians to bring back their money. Jacob had given Joseph up for dead and believed Simeon and Benjamin were in grave danger. He concluded that all these things were against him when in reality all things were for him. He just didn’t see it yet. God had other plans in mind. In the weakness of our faith, we often perceive things to be against us when God is in the process of working it all together for our good. Can we respond with faith and trust, saying no matter what, God is for me and not against me? I hope each of us can apply that truth to our lives this week.
Reuben answered them by saying – Do not sin against this child and that his blood was required. Joseph turned away from them and begins to cry before he returned to them. Joseph has Simeon bound before their eyes. Joseph said to fill their sacks full and restore all of their money in their sacks – the brothers did not know this at the time. One of them opened their sack after leaving and found his money restored fully – This was a move of GOD and finally they believed it. The detail which was important to me was that the sacks were filled to the top and then the money completely restored – GOD always does things completely and even in our lives – we may just ask for a small thing – but in the end we have everything we need.
Jacob thought they were working against him – taking all of his sons – there are sometimes that you and I think things are against us – but we just need to lay them down completely with the LORD and HE will work everything out for us. So many times we try to do everything ourselves – even after we have prayed about things. We need to learn to leave things with the LORD and accept HIS way of doing things which is right. Instead of worrying after praying about things – we are to leave them with the LORD and not try to pick them up and work them out our way.
Reuben promised to bring the boys back and the father would not hear of them going with him this time. Jacob thought it was the fault of his sons and that they had done something wrong because they had all of the money and the food also. Jacob thought that Joseph was dead and the other two sons would be in danger. Jacob just could not let go of things and trust in GOD at that moment. Sometimes you and I have a hard time trusting GOD in the way HE is going to answer some of our problems – but when we pray about something – you and I are to leave it at the altar with the LORD – HIS way of doing things will be totally different than ours about some things – we must not worry and let the LORD do HIS work in our problems. What an awesome lesson again – Karen – this is a learning lesson for all of us. Loved it.
Thank you for this lesson! My son Caleb is facing something very serious that could change the coarse of his life. As a mom it’s easy to let fear take a hold of me. I was just talking about this to a friend that even tho this is something I never wanted him to have to go through I feel like God is in this! It makes no since at all, but I have peace that even if what we fear does happen, it is God working in his life, & He knows what it will take to make my son surrender which is my ultimate prayer! This was confirmation to my spirit. Blessings….