25, “And they said, ‘You have saved our lives. We have found favor in our lord’s eyes and will be Pharaoh’s slaves.’”
The people of Egypt and the surrounding lands were dying and they knew it because the famine was so severe in the land that they had spent all of their money on grain, had given up all of their livestock for grain, and now they only had themselves and their land to give to Pharaoh to eat and survive. These people knew that they were dying because of these physical signs they saw all around them, and when they were given food to live they said “we will be your slaves.”
People today in our society usually don’t notice that they are also in fact dying. They have food to eat and they don’t know that ”man can not live on bread alone.” They have their lands, their bodies, their “self love,” their food, and their means of getting more food when needed, easily. But they are in fact dying without knowing Jesus Christ.
Once we realize how dead we were in our sins, and how alive we have become through Jesus Christ, we so loudly proclaim “You have saved our lives! We have found favor in the Lord’s eyes and will be your slaves!” We know that being a servant of the One True God is a lighter yoke than remaining in the chains of the enemy, and that it comes with life here and hereafter.
The Lord showed me in my reading this morning that before He saved my life, He first gave me authority here on Earth to serve. It is nearly as important to serve this God-given authority here on Earth as it is to serve Him if I want to keep it. If I don’t serve the Lord, I will lose my life, and if I don’t serve who He’s given me to serve, I will lose them too - if not physically then definitely emotionally. It is not my job to judge what is appropriate for my husband to do or to direct us to do because I am not in authority, he is. It is for the Lord to judge because all husbands will have to answer for their leadership when his time comes. I just need to do my part as his help meet, and servant of my Lord, Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:23 - “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.”
Yes I love how Joseph is unbothered too! It’s true that if we keep our faith in God, we also should be unbothered by the circumstances of this world, living above this world, untouchable due to our closeness with God. Yes ma’am God calls us to submit to our husbands in everything. It will be a lifelong challenge for me to learn how to do that but by the grace of God He will continue to guide me and help me to do that because it is His blessing that we are placed under authority, and it gives glory to our Almighty Lord.
Sofia,
You did a great job recapping what happened In chapter 47, on how the famine and lack of resources really got to the people of Egypt. The people of Egypt were really willing to do anything and loose everything just to stay alive a little bit longer.
“Genesis 47:18: When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:”
Even though everyone else seems to be suffering I love how Joseph and his family…