The silent period of God..
We all are aware of God’s silence. This silence of God is not for our destruction but for a constructive purpose. This silence may irritate us, may lead us to depression but the way of God is mysterious. This irritation and depression are further aggravated by the noise of others. When we see others enjoying the company of God, we may feel miserable. Often this silence of God is broken by the action and promise of God.
And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied. I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.” Genesis 46:2,4
Jacob a man of God who wrestled with God and received
the name Israel. God helped him in every way. He promised Jacob to watch over
him and provided him with food to eat and clothes to wear. God even showed him
how to multiply his flocks when Laban changed his wages. That intimacy of God
vanished when Joseph was sold by his brothers. Not even once did God show Jacob
that your son Joseph is still alive. For many years Jacob thought Joseph is no
more. God remained silent. Why? God helped Joseph on his way down to Egypt. God
was with Jacob. But God knows what to reveal and what not to reveal. He is a
wise God. In this period’s time God changed three people.
Joseph
Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not
recognize him. THEN HE REMEMBERED HIS DREAM about them…Genesis 42:8,9
Joseph, a seventeen-year-old boy. Beloved son of
Jacob, and a traitor for his brothers, saw a dream. A dream that changed his
life. A dream given by God himself. But the trauma he faced, made him forget
all his dreams. He pleaded with his brothers for his life. He forgot his first
dream. He became an interpreter of dreams. He helped others to decrypt their
dreams, but forgot to understand his own. He learned about himself and
understood that in him is the spirit of God. Later on, he liked to brag that he
knew divination. For He made the divination of Egypt a joke. But God reminded
this mature and tested Joseph his own dream or the great promise of God.
Jacob
Jacob used to love Joseph more than his brothers. But
when he lost him, he was dismayed. He was grief-stricken. When he knew that the
lord of Egypt spoke harshly to his sons, he was further wounded. All he wanted now
was to head down to the grave peacefully. God remained silent to Jacob all
those years. God spoke to him the day he decided to head to Egypt to meet his
son Joseph. God observed him closely in those periods and knew his heart’s
desire. God promised Jacob that Joseph’s own hands will close his eyes.
Judah
“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my Lord’s
slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go
back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery
that would come upon my father.” Genesis 44:33,34
Judah was responsible for the plight of Joseph. He was
the one who gave others the idea to sell him. But he spared Joseph’s lives
thinking him to be his own blood and flesh. After selling Joseph and seeing the
grief-stricken father. He was greatly moved. As we can see that Judah left his
brothers and family. He tried to start a new life with a family. But the death
of his sons and everything that he went through changed him. He was the first
one to take the blame. He was ready to be the slave of Joseph in place of Benjamin.
He understood his mistake.
In our lives when God remains quiet, remember that God
is waiting for a Joseph to get matured, a Jacob, to know his desire, a Judah,
to repent. For in those silent periods, God’s fashioning the arrows that needs
to be placed at the QUIVER OF GOD.
May GOD bless u all..
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