Go Down to Egypt

 God has a way of sending us to places we would not choose to go and leading us through experiences that we would not choose. He does it for our good and the good of our family. We have to trust Him in the process and follow one step at a time. That is what happened to Jacob and his family. God sent Joseph before them to Egypt and made him second in command to Pharaoh, so they could all be saved from the 7 year famine. As Jacob loaded up to go see his son, whom he thought he had lost, God came to reassure him of his purpose. (Genesis 46:3,4) God reminded Jacob He was God, the God of his father, Isaac, so he did not need to be afraid. In fact, God promised to make him a great nation there. He promised to go with him and to bring him back to Canaan after his death. Jacob took God at His word, and we need to do the same thing.

God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8)  We can't see into the future, unless He shows us what will happen. We do not know what is best for us, but He does. We have to follow Him without fear and allow His plan to unfold for us, if we want to have the best possible life. I have seen this so many times in my life, and I am here to testify to the great goodness of God. He led me to Texas to go to Baylor. I would have chosen a closer college, but His way was the best, and I got a great education there and at Southwestern Seminary, plus God gave me two wonderful churches to serve. He added a wife and 2 children while I was there. Then, God took us home to Georgia for a special mission after my sister died. I got to pastor my home church and Clairmont Baptist while serving our families and adding a son. Unexpectedly, He took us back to Texas to a new city and church. It was there that God grew me and the family, as well as Lori finding her husband and eventually being called to Japan. Finally, God brought us back to Georgia, and we have been at North Henry 20 years. He expanded our family to 7 grandchildren. Has it all been easy? No. Were there both good times and bad times? Yes However, I can see God's hand in all of it. I pray that we will all look back and see how God's Egypts all work together for our good and the upbuilding of His kingdom.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 47-50.