Good old farm wagons are not often seen today. They were slow and bumpy, but they never had engine trouble or flat tires. In America there was a horse to pull them, and in other countries it was probably an ass, which is like a donkey, only stronger and bigger.
Joseph was the most powerful man in Egypt at the time of our story, and his father was a hungry, old man living in the land of Canaan. They had not seen each other for twenty years, and maybe you don’t know why. The real problem was the ten older brothers who wanted Joseph out of the family altogether.
Are you one of the crowd who wishes that Jesus was out of your life-story too? The memory of Him as a baby in a manger long ago might be all right, but you don’t want His power and authority over you right now. You want to live your own life without Him.
There was no food for the family in Canaan, and no one can live without food. Joseph had plenty in Egypt, because he had been storing it up for seven years. But the hungry family in Canaan had almost nothing left. They may have had a little fancy food, like nuts and honey, but that isn’t enough to live on.
Perhaps some of you can understand and remember hungry days when you didn’t have enough to eat. Or perhaps you are overweight but are still hungry-hearted. You know that it is not plenty of food that makes people happy. Your fill of all sorts of goodies can leave you heart-hungry and unhappy.
Joseph knew that his family in Canaan was nearly out of food. He sent wagons to bring his father to Egypt, and the wagons had enough room to bring all Joseph’s brothers and their families-more than sixty people. Since there were at least twenty asses, there was plenty of pulling power for the wagons. His father was a sad, old man with poor eyesight, but nobody could fail to see that lineup of wagons. His sons explained that they were sent from Joseph to bring him and all his family to live near Joseph, who was a ruler in Egypt. The poor old man had a hard time believing that Joseph was still alive, but there were the wagons he had sent, loaded with food for the journey. And ten of his sons had returned from Egypt and told their father that Joseph had said, Never mind your stuff . . . just come!
When Joseph’s father saw the wagons, he believed the message. His spirit was renewed and he came!
Will you believe the message from Jesus and come to Him? God has sent you a wonderful book, and He has sent you real believers who can tell you that it is true. You cannot see Jesus, but He is real. We have a thousand daily proofs that He is real - our food and clothing and friendships and even our very breath - all comes from His hands of love. And we have His wonderful book which answers the need of our hungry hearts. Satan may tell you that you can’t understand that book, but God will give you understanding if you ask Him.
God’s book explains that you need a Saviour to cleanse you from your sins. Our living, loving Jesus is the Saviour who took the punishment for the sins of every believer while He was on the cross. You also need His company every day. Here is His promise: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).
Will you come as Joseph’s father did? It may have been a long, bumpy ride, but it ended in wonderful hugs and tears of joy. He found his beloved Joseph, and he was never hungry again.
If you come, your life will have a joyful ending in the Father’s house. You will be happy, but Jesus will be happier than you are. That wonderful book reports that “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that [repents]” (Luke 15:10).
You may read this story for yourself in Genesis 45-46.
ML-06/12/2005