The Great Exchange

 

“Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him…Joseph said… ‘Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn.’ But his father refused and said, ‘I know, my son, I know.’” Genesis 48:17-19 

As Jacob’s life was coming to a close, he wanted to bless his grandsons and include them in the inheritance. ‘In ancient Israel, blessing the oldest son with a double inheritance included being the headship of the family, property rights, and responsibility for the family among other things.’ Finding God Faithful, Kelly Minter, p. 184. Joseph had probably dreamed for years that one day he would be reunited with his father who would eventually bless his oldest son. But when that day came, Jacob exalted the second born son in place of the first born. Joseph was not pleased with his father’s decision of who received the blessing. But his father was in the position of authority, inheritance and promise.

We are not that different from Joseph all these years later. As parents we also have dreams for our children’s future. I have played out scenarios in my heart of greatness for them as they walk out their life. Like you, I have prayed for our Father to bless them in prosperous and beautiful ways. But like Joseph’s father, we have a Father who sits in authority over the lives of our children. He has beautiful plans for each of our children, plans to which we are not privy. Like Joseph we may not always agree with the plans that are unfolding in our children’s lives, but God knows the exact timing and circumstances that will bring them into the blessings and promises of their fellowship with God. It is our responsibility to entrust God with our children as He entrusted us with them at birth. Our children are our treasures who we are to care for and tend to for their short time under our upbringing. But we cannot know God for our children, but can only introduce Him to them. It is up to them to forge a relationship with Him marking one of our greatest exchanges when we give them back to Him. We cannot try to control aspects of their lives but must allow God to determine their steps. ‘This humble posture of openness to God avails us to what God wants to bring us [and our children] and loosens our grip on how we think things should go. It also acknowledges our trust in God and His sovereignty…God is not bound by customs, birth order, or people’s expectations’ pp. 184, 185.

Although Joseph was disappointed, he had walked with God long enough to fully trust the plans that were unfolding for both of his sons. God had two different plans for the boys, and both lives were walked out in favor, promise and God’s great abundance. Joseph had an open heart for the work God was going to do in both of their lives. And, so should we!