Reflections from January 27, 2011

All things must pass, and Israel knew that he would die soon. As is human nature, he thought about his final resting place and he wanted to be with family. So he told Joseph in Genesis 47:29-30,
"When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, 'Please do not bury me in Egypt, but let me be with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.'"

Joseph readily agreed to this, because this is what sons do, they obey their fathers, and they do selfless things for them out of love. Israel's thoughts are with his family and with the patriarchs. He wants his bones to lie with theirs, in the place that Abraham purchased in the land of Canaan. Today we see many families with burial plots all together, as with my in-laws. There are ten spots for family members to be there. But, it's just a resting place for the body since our soul will be with the Lord as is Abraham's and his family.

After this conversation, Israel continued to decline, and Joseph brought his sons to Israel to see their grandfather. Israel was thrilled, and he offered a blessing to them in Genesis 48:15-16,
"God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."

Israel recognized how important God had been in his life, providing for him all his days. He wanted that same divine intervention on his grandsons as well.

What Israel was saying was expressed very well by David in Psalms 25:4,
"Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day."

Both Israel and David realized our God truly is the One of salvation; we should too, and praise Him everyday for that.

Blessings to all