Tuesday, January 24, 2012

January 24th Reflection by Bill Lynch


Genesis 45:25-46:7 (NRSV)
God calls Jacob to go to Egypt
So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. And they told him, "Joseph is still alive! He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt." He was stunned; he could not believe them. But when they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. Israel said, "Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die."


When Israel set out on his journey with all that he had and came to Beer sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph's own hand shall close your eyes."

Then Jacob set out from Beer sheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They also took their livestock and the goods that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

Reflection
Once again another calling. This time for Jacob to leave the land of his grandfather's calling and stray to another county, Egypt. Jacob was called to trust in, what seemed to him, a resurrected life of his son Joseph. Was this true? Was this a cruel trick? Only the assurance of God's call could give the hope of a new life. A resurrected meeting of father and son and family and son. A new resurrected meeting of safety from hunger. A new life in a new place. What would this bring? But, this was God's call. A call that wasn't meant to leave it all behind, but a call to take it all with you to another land.

So Jacob picked up and moved into Egypt, "all his offspring with him, his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt."

You and I too are called. Out of our life story, God calls us to go, to come, to stay, to whatever. God calls us and give us the resurrected hope of a Savior's assurance that all will be for the good of a plan much larger than we could ever begin to fathom. God calls us and gives us the strength to take on the call, no matter what age or what our physical well being may be. We are called to action. We may be called to pray, to visit, to serve a meal, to go to another country or even to have that conversation with a hurting co-worker. We may be called to share our relationship with God with one another. We are called in so many and various ways, my examples would never cease. I am called and you are called. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, it sure is a journey. I look back on life and can't believe where you have taken me. In the ups and downs I realize and now see your presence. So, I'm excited to look forward, knowing that your call will lead through even more excitement and joy. Not a cake walk at times but other times we rested in pastures together. It's time to go. I hear that knock at my door. Time to go out today... tomorrow... time to take your call forever. --- Amen

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