It´s Thursday - reflections from Genesis

'When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, 'Why do you just keep looking at each other?' Genesis 42:1

Sometimes we can have such a difficult, seemingly insurmountable problem that we are flummoxed when it comes to being able to think of any way to resolve it. This seemed to be the case with Jacob's sons as they looked at each other, no doubt hoping someone would come up with a solution.

Although there were seven years of super-abundant harvests, even at the end of the first year that followed, (concluded from Joseph's words in 45:6 on the second visit his brothers made to Egypt to buy corn), the harvest in Egypt and beyond was so poor that there was a severe famine. One wonders if all the nations in that region had experienced massive surpluses during those first seven seven years and whether they squandered what they had? Even without the message from God that Pharaoh received, it would have been wise to have set some grain aside as a safeguard. It is so easy to become blasé when year on year we bathe in riches. It is so easy to lose sight of how things can change beyond recognition very quickly indeed.

The only place where food was to be found was in Egypt and the Egyptians were not the most favourable of nations towards Hebrews, (see 43:32). No doubt, when ordered to do so by their father Jacob, the brothers set off in fear and trembling, uncertain of what reception awaited them. 'Lord, may we never take for granted the riches of your grace that you bestow. Make us prudent and wise in the use of those things you give us, Amen.' God bless you all.