Hold Me Accountable

FAITH IN ACTION:
LIVING AS FAITHFUL PEOPLE
God's Protection
God Preserves a Remnant

Genesis 43:1-14

The Message

^1-2 The famine got worse. When they had eaten all the food they had brought back from Egypt, their father said, "Go back and get some more food." ^3-5 But Judah said, "The man warned us most emphatically, 'You won't so much as see my face if you don't have your brother with you.' If you're ready to release our brother to go with us, we'll go down and get you food. But if you're not ready, we aren't going. What would be the use? The man told us, 'You won't so much as see my face if you don't have your brother with you.'"
 ⁶ Israel said, "Why are you making my life so difficult! Why did you ever tell the man you had another brother?"
 ⁷ They said, "The man pressed us hard, asking pointed questions about our family: 'Is your father alive? Do you have another brother?' So we answered his questions. How did we know that he'd say, 'Bring your brother here'?"
 ^8-10 Judah pushed his father Israel. "Let the boy go; I'll take charge of him. Let us go and be on our way—if we don't get going, we're all going to starve to death—we and you and our children, too! I'll take full responsibility for his safety; it's my life on the line for his. If I don't bring him back safe and sound, I'm the guilty one; I'll take all the blame. If we had gone ahead in the first place instead of procrastinating like this, we could have been there and back twice over."
 ^11-14 Their father Israel gave in. "If it has to be, it has to be. But do this: stuff your packs with the finest products from the land you can find and take them to the man as gifts—some balm and honey, some spices and perfumes, some pistachios and almonds. And take plenty of money—pay back double what was returned to your sacks; that might have been a mistake. Take your brother and get going. Go back to the man. And may The Strong God give you grace in that man's eyes so that he'll send back your other brother along with Benjamin. For me, nothing's left; I've lost everything."

For Reflection 

Israel knew God.  And yet, he lived with the knowledge of his son's treachery and was willing to cover up the sins of his family.  Israel could not bear to lose his youngest son and was willing to sacrifice another son imprisoned in Egypt.   Perhaps trying to atone for his and the sins of his brothers, Judah accepts responsibility for the sin and argues rationally.  Israel gives up.  He has exhausted  his mortal ability.  He is forced by circumstance to put the outcome in God's hands.  He offers a sacrifice of restitution in hope that the grace of God will guide the Pharaoh's man.

When all resources are lost to whom do you turn?  What will you offer in restitution for your sins?

Pray
that you will accept the ineffectiveness your humanity.  Pray that you will see the path that God has always held open for you.  Thank God for his merciful grace.  Pray that you will embrace the gift of sacrifice.