Last week we learned that God will
test us in the small things before exalting us to a higher
authority. He wants to make sure that we handle ourselves with
excellence in the mundane everyday things in life. For if we are
not to be trusted in the small things, how can He entrust us with
higher spiritual authority? We need to live a life of excellence in
every area of our lives, so that we can be a showcase to the world
of how a Christian should behave.
Joseph's brothers went home and
found all their money returned in their sacks. This made them very
afraid. They told Jacob all about their trip and about the leader
who spoke harshly to them. They also told him that the leader
wanted to see Benjamin. They had to return with him, otherwise he
would not let Simeon go and he would not give them more food.
However Jacob refused:
"My son shall not go down with
you, for his brother is dead and he is left alone. If any calamity
should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would
bring my gray hair with sorrow to the grave." Genesis
42:38
Jacob couldn't bear to lose
Benjamin, as Benjamin was all he had left of his beloved Rachel. So
he flat out refused to let Benjamin go with them, even though
Reuben and Judah vouched with their lives that they will bring him
back to Jacob. However soon enough the food that they had brought
from Egypt were finished and the famine was very severe. Jacob told
them to go again and buy food, but his sons quickly reminded him
that they will not be given food if they didn't have Benjamin with
them.
If Jacob hadn't been this stubborn,
they would have returned much earlier and they would have reunited
with Joseph much earlier too. They would have had a much better
time, had he relented sooner. Now, they were in dire need of food
and facing starvation.
We often delay things that we know
that we must do too. We know that there are certain things that we
must do and yet we put it off and we put it off. Much to our own
detriment in the long run. A couple of years ago a specific Gospel
song was playing in my mind the whole time. I loved the song and I
instantly knew that the Lord wanted me to choreograph a dance on
that song to perform in church. As I thought about it I knew
exactly what moves would work and how we should go about doing it.
I knew that I should find some friends and perform it at church.
Even though I knew all these things, I stagnated. I kept on putting
it off, thinking that I was imagining it and that they would think
I am weird if I just call the church and tell them that I wanted to
perform this dance in church. So as I was still arguing within
myself whether to do the dance or not, I was in church one day. And
sure enough the preacher said that there will be a dance that
morning. And it was on exactly the same song and version that I
felt God wanted me to perform it on. I was stumped. I was so
jealous, as I thought that I could have done a much better job at
it (arrogant I know, fortunately God has done a lot of work on me
since). But at that moment I could sense God's presence and He told
me: "I wanted the dance performed by you, but you stagnated, so I
had to find someone else." That floored me. I there and then vowed
to never let that happen again. If I feel I need to do something
for God, I do it immediately. I never want that feeling again of
someone else doing what I knew I should have done.
And that goes for so many things.
If God wants you to forgive someone, do it today. If He wants you
to help someone financially, do it now, they need the miracle now.
If He wants you to send someone a specific message, do it right
away. Do not wait. If you feel the leading of His Spirit, follow
Him and do what He has placed on your heart to do. It will not only
benefit others, it will most certainly benefit you too. Jacob could
have been reunited with Joseph months earlier and Simeon could have
been spared months of imprisonment. Do not make the same mistake.
Act now.
Father please speak clearly to us
so that we can KNOW when to move as well as exactly what to do. We
want to follow You and do what You place on our hearts to do
without delay. May our actions then be a blessing to others and may
we glorify You in the process. We love You. Amen