[Discoveries] 01-25-08 Sorrow turns to hope -- Hebrews 11:21

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

/*By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons ... 
-- Hebrews 11:21*/

I often ponder the life of Jacob. He starts out conniving, getting his 
own way by shrewd and tough negotiation. But then everything goes 
against him. He is deprived of the woman he wants as his wife, and is 
only allowed to marry her in exchange for another seven years of 
servitude. Once he has her, she bears him no children, until the end. 
Finally, she dies with the birth of her second son. If that wasn't 
enough, the sons of his other wife sell the first son of the woman he 
loved into slavery and tell Jacob that Joseph was torn apart by wild 
animals. His daughter is raped. Famine threatens to wipe out the family. 
His sons go to Egypt to buy grain only for his son Simeon to be thrown 
into prison.

How very sad! Yet at the end of his life, God seems to say, "Come over 
here. Let me show you what is really going on." Simeon and Joseph are 
restored to him. His missing son is revealed as the savior of two 
nations -- the prophet and ruler that saved countless lives. Jacob, 
delivered from the famine, and lives to see his children's children.

It hurts every time I read of Rachel's death. I see Jacob lifting up 
that pillar over her grave, so helpless to get her back, not knowing 
what else to do.

But, in the end, his sorrow turns to hope, and his hope turns into 
faith. He sees the future with God's eyes. He knows his descendants will 
triumph over great adversity and through them all the people of the 
earth will be blessed.

All of us travel down paths that we would not choose. May we, like 
Jacob, find the treasure that eluded us, and see the future through 
God's eyes.

Be encouraged!
Dwight


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