Give up Your Security Blanket

Genesis 43: 11-14 - Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.  Take double the money with you; carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.  also your brother, and arise, go again to the man;  may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may send back your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." 

They were out of grain….they had eaten all that they had bought…well really had been given by the brother they don’t know is still alive. So Jacob tells them they must go get more. He had to make a decision….starve his whole family to the point of death so he could keep Benjamin…or release his hold on him to allow all the brothers to return for more grain.  Jacob was surely afraid…he had lost the love of his life Rachel in childbirth ….and lived daily thinking that his favorite son Joseph was torn to pieces by wild animals. Jacob …like many of us when we lose something dear…found another person…to cling to in his grief. Jacob put his time and energy into keeping Benjamin safe. He drew close to the one son he had left by his sweet Rachel…but in doing so he drifted away from his God.

But thank God…there comes a time when God will take that security blanket away…so we can learn to depend more on him. God will allow us to reach a very low point in our lives…so we know that we must depend on him again for everything. And so God’s plan being worked through Joseph many miles away from his father…is going to help Jacob move forward from his grief. Jacob’s pain will not subside for a while…it might even get worse…for I am sure when his children leave…he allows Satan to place visions of the worst in his head This release of Benjamin as his security blanket is the beginning of God drawing Jacob closer to him….but it will be some time before he realizes that he has drifted so far away from God…and ask him to help him.

We can have the knowledge of God…but never ask him to be a part of our lives.  We can do Godly things…but never involve God in the decision to do those things.  We can sit in a church pew out of pure habit every Sunday….but never allow the words we hear to convict us of our sins. We can remember that day we ask him into our lives…but drift far away…like Jacob.  We may have received the promise of God long ago…..but we have let the sorrows of life beat us down…make us think God has deserted us. But God is working a plan…to bring you back….to be close to his side….and listen to him for directions to help him bring the lost into his kingdom.  He will never be happy…never stop chasing you…until you give up your earthly crutch….and lean wholly on him again.

Father…I thank you for breaking me…and showing me that I never need to cling to an earthly person or thing to be happy.  I thank you for the happiness that you gave me when you drew me close to your side and began to show me how to serve you. Forgive me for the many times I digress back to thinking that Earthly things or people can ever substitute for your love.  Help me this morning to always stop and pray for your direction in my life…and ask you to help me accept every good and bad thing as a pathway to your peace that surpasses all human understanding. Amen.