Thanks for all the feedback! (Joseph cont.)

I was so surprised and blessed with all the comments in the last post! Maybe I should whine more often! ;P Just kidding. But really, it was so good to get some comments and oddly enough, the comments were regarding the picture moreso than the writing....so I thought I'd give you the other one I did for my niece! Yes, her name is Grace and this pic is very appropriate for our next portion of the Joseph story! Good stuff. AND, thanks, mom, for finally commenting on the blog...you CAN figure out this computer thingy. ;)
From Genesis 42, we continue....So Joseph put his brother, Simeon, who was the most violent offender of the family if you follow his past in Genesis, into prison while the other family members returned to Jacob to feed their families and go get Benjamin to bring him to Joseph. (Love run-on sentences!) I bet the brothers felt pretty sheepish returning home, their heads hanging with conviction and probably some fear. But then, to make things worse, the money they had paid for the food they bought in Egypt was found inside their grain bags! Yes, every cent Joseph had hidden back in the brothers' grain bags to test their integrity once again. I bet the brothers were even more fearful and their accusing consciences immediately told them that this was an act of God.... that God must be punishing them for their evil ways (42:28,35). Then they had to explain everything to their father, Jacob. Not too fun for them...I can relate! Let's do a recap for them.....his precious son, Joseph, is "dead", they're starving, Simeon is in prison, and Benjamin is required to go to Egypt because the head-honcho of Egypt thinks Jacob's sons are spies AND they could all be charged with stealing because they did not pay for the grain they were given (or so they thought). Sucky deal! I'm sure Jacob was thrilled, especially since God had promised Jacob quite a bit of things in the past that looked very different than this present predicament (Gen 27). Sound familiar? Some things just run in the family!
Jacob first reacts with a "Everything is against me!!"(42:36) How many times have I said that!!! Then he questions the brothers wondering how this mysterious guard of Pharoah and his grain found out they had another brother. Little did Jacob know that God was orchestrating all of these events for a restoration beyond their wildest dreams!! Then grace came....ya remember Judah (the brother who has a dirty past from Genesis 38)? Well, he demonstrates some Christ-like character by telling Jacob that he will personally take Benjamin to Egypt and will be held responsible for any harm that comes to him. I'd say that's a pretty big change from Judah's past attitudes. This is where Jacob finally realizes there is no way around the situation, and instead of deciding to where sackcloth and ashes, Jacob shows where his help comes from and turns to the God of his ancestors....the God of Abraham and Isaac...it's a pretty desperate prayer (43:14). He also tells the brothers to put a double portion of money in the sacks to pay for the grain from their last trip and for the present trip. He gave them some nuts, honey, myrrh, balm and spices to try and appease the guard with whom they would have to present Benjamin. Then they headed to Egypt. The best part is, the brothers still have no idea that the head-honcho they are dealing with is their "dead" brother, Joseph! Sooooooo, applications....let me say I was blessed with what my mom wrote in last post's comments....about the audience of One. I know God is using this whole blogging thing to drill into me His promises and His faithfulness. It is mind-boggling to me that God allows some of the most stinky circumstances in our lives and our sins to positively impact us, our characters and our future generations. How could Jacob have known when he deceived his father, Isaac, regarding his birthright, that in the future, his very own sons would deceive him as well in the selling of his most precious son, Joseph, into slavery? And Joseph....how could he have possibly known when he was sold to the Ishmaelites that he would be the one that God would use to deliver his entire family from starvation and extinction so that a great and mighty nation could be born!? God, in His amazing grace allowed such suffering, deception, and sin to exist for a purpose....What Satan meant for damnation, God turned into the great joy of restoration and birthed a nation whose seed was our Lord Jesus! WOW! And the story isn't over yet, there is more suffering that is coming for this family.... thanks for reading and stay tuned for more!