Genesis 43:23b “Then he brought Simeon out to them.”
HEY, OVER HERE!
How would you like to have been Simeon? He was left behind in jail after the first trip to get grain. Instead of a quick return, the brothers weren’t allowed to return with Benjamin, as requested by Joseph. When all the grain they had brought back was gone, only then did Jacob allow them to return.
How long were they gone? We don’t know. We do know that each trip took at least 10 days or more. That means if they had returned immediately it would have taken 20 days. But since the stayed until the grain was gone, it may have been months before they returned. All that time, Simeon was in jail. And then when they do come back, all it says is “Then he brought Simeon out to them.” There is no mention of hugs and tears and “We missed you brother.”
TEACHING MOMENT
There will come a time when your children will feel they are invisible to their friends or someone they really like. They may feel abandoned by someone. What a perfect verse to share with them. Even though Simeon may have felt abandoned, God was working out His plan. In the end, he was restored to his family. In the end, if little Elrod will trust the Lord, he will see God’s plan.
That doesn’t necessarily ease the pain and hurt at the time. I know that. But we have to show our children that God always has a plan. He is never caught off guard. He is always prepared. He is never surprised. But they must allow Him to do His will in their lives. When they learn to accept that, life is so much easier.
How about you? Are you struggling with some “injustices” in your life? Do you feel you have been mistreated? Ask the Lord to show you His purpose in all of this. He will, in His time. He will reveal why He has allowed you to go through the things you are facing. Trust Him.
A Moment In Time 