Too Old for Change?

“God said, ‘I am God, the God of your father: Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back. Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.’” (Genesis 46:3-4)

Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers. Terror streaked up their spines when he did. Throats got dry. Nobody could talk. Eventually, Joseph was able to convince them that he wasn’t going to annihilate them, and arrangements were made to bring their father, Jacob, and all the family and possessions to Egypt.

When Jacob got the word that Joseph was alive came through a time of being stunned, the reality revived his spirit, and he was excited for the first time in a long time. He wanted to go see his son before he died.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, however, Jacob knew that where he was in Canaan was the land God had promised to him and his descendants. He had to have wondered where Egypt fit into all this. He may have had some misgivings about going to Egypt, but still he boarded one of the wagons Pharoah had sent for him and his family.

The entourage spent the night at Beersheba, and Jacob gave a sacrifice to the Lord. That very night the Lord spoke to him in a vision and gave Jacob reassurance that he was doing the right thing, and that He would bring Jacob back to Canaan in the future.

By this time Jacob was very elderly, so this move represented another sudden change in direction and lifestyle for him and his entire family. He may have thought that he had made his last move in life when he returned to Canaan. But when someone is committed to the will of God and is willing to follow the Lord whenever, wherever, the need to be prepared to change is always there. Part of the challenge of discipleship is being prepared to change.

What sort of “changes” might God be asking you to make for the sake of His kingdom?

Lord, May we never become so inflexible as to be unusable in the work of Your kingdom. Amen.