Genesis 46:1,3–4: “So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. Then God spoke to Israel . . . ‘I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.'”

October 31st, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Jacob was anxious about moving to Egypt. So before he crossed the border, he wisely sought guidance from the Lord, the God of his fathers, offering sacrifices at the same place Abraham and Isaac had before him. God graciously responded, again referring to Himself as El Shaddai, meaning “God Almighty” and “the God of your father.” God’s name reminded Jacob that God is the all-sufficient protector. The second half, “God of your father,” makes it clear that this is the God of the covenant promise. God Almighty’s hand had been at work through all the generations of Jacob’s family. Then God encouraged Jacob, reiterating that his descendants would return to the Promised Land as a nation, as God had previously promised in Genesis 28. Jacob was to go to Egypt in the comfort of knowing that God would protect his family and that they would become a “great nation” there. In Jacob’s old age, God gave him the missing blessing of his life—his family living together at peace.

We are a transient nation, as each year, 1 out of every 5 American families moves. A recent survey of American college students revealed that 75% of them could not even give the first and last names of all four of their grandparents. Frequent moving has fragmented the extended American family. How quickly we find an excuse to move in our fluid culture. More often than not we hear reasons like: got a better job offer, like that new area better, and want to get out of the crowded area, etc., etc. It is a rare occasion to hear someone say that the Lord and His purposes were the deciding motivation.

In Jacob’s life a move was exactly what God wanted him to do, but he was careful to seek God’s will all along the way. The man of faith George Muller warned against rushing forward in self-will, convincing yourself that you are following God when it is really your own will. Muller said, “Seek to have no will of your own . . . so that you can honestly say, you are willing to do the will of God.”

“LORD, make this true in our lives today. We lay down our self-will and ask You to keep us in Your will and Yours alone in everything said and done this day.”