Spiritual Famine

Joseph: The not-so-glad reunion. Genesis 42:1-28

Genesis 42:1–28 NIV

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” 2 He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” 3 Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. 5 So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also. 6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.” 8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9 Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.” 10 “No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.” 12 “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.” 13 But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.” 14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies! 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17 And he put them all in custody for three days. 18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do. 21 They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” 22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” 23 They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. 24 He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes. 25 Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, 26 they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. 27 At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. 28 “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

Pray.

In the first grade I was a liar. Allow me to explain. I was in Mrs. Westbrook’s first grade class and we were preparing to go on a field trip to the Houston zoo. But a couple days before, I was in class and we were playing a game. You have to understand that I was the teacher’s pet and loved to be the best. (you are thinking to yourself, well that explains a lot), stop it, I am trying to be vulnerable here.

Well I lost some game we were playing and another kid began to make fun of me. I then got in trouble because Mrs. Westbrook saw me retaliate. And because of this, for the first time ever....I had to pull a pin. I dont have time to unpack the pin system....just trust me, it wasn’t good. Devastated, I just wanted to run away. So after a little bit of time, I went in the bathroom, pretended to throw up. And began a series of charades to try and convince teacher, nurse, mom, that I was sick.

It did not take long for mom to begin to sense something at home. She knew I was lying. So she pressed me on it. I admitted I was not sick and lied. Mom gave me an ultimatum. I had to go and confess to Mrs. Westbrook, or I was not going to go on the field trip.

In confession, I just began to share the truth about my embarrasment. My teacher was incredible gracious and loving, but even at a young age, I remember how freeing it was to name, not just what I did, but to name what I was believing.

Where we have been. Jacob family is the most jacked up family you have ever seen. It makes your family look like Cleaver family. With all the spiritual and emotional pain happening in that family system it is no wonder that the brothers don’t blink to sell the brat, Joseph, into slavery. Joseph has a rough go of it. From beat up, nearly killed, by family, sold to Egypt. In loyal service there, Potiphar’s wife gets him thrown into prison. In prison he is loyal still and gets betrayed. Rough road. Then things turn around and he is promoted again. Almost equal standing to the throne. Joseph helps all of Egypt prepare for a famine. They save for 7 years and then the famine begins. Joseph’s family are right in the middle of the famine and they need help from Egypt. Now, the ugly past rears its ugly head.

But Joseph is prepared for it, the brothers are continually trying to hide from the past.

I want to spend just a few minutes this morning talking about famine.

The literal famine is backdrop for a deeper spiritual famine.

You see Joseph spent years in the fire. And in those years he remained open to the work of God, he remained faithful to God….not some robotic faith, honest, hard, and difficult years…but he leaned in. And in the famine, Joseph flourishes. He was prepared for it and so full in His relationship with God.

Brothers, not so much. They have spent these 10-20 years trying to forget all that happened before. Hoping that if they just did not speak of the past, if enough time would go by then their pain, shame, would go away.

Time does not heal all wounds

You see not only are they in a physical famine, but they are in a spiritual one as well.

Characteristics of famine

In order to explore this in greater detail, I think we should consider what famine is. There are different dry periods, famines, walking through the wilderness in the narrative of scripture, or having lack, praying for a child that is not coming, or exile.

These stories include:

Dryness

Barren experiences

Hunger

loss

transition

Marked by:

Apathy

Desperation

Idol worship

Complaining

Self-centeredness

Choosing wants over needs

Laziness

If you are feeling convicted right now, that is God….just describing bible situations.

Living in Spiritual Famine

I just wonder how many of us might be in the middle of this spiritual famine?

The brothers were there for sure. Look at the beginning of chapter 42:

Genesis 42:1–2 NIV

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” 2 He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

What we do in spiritual famine:

There is something about spiritual famine that has us convinced that there is nothing to be done. We sit around and look at the dry and barrenness and just hope that it will rain.

Or we complain, like the Israelites in the desert with Moses.

Or we just give ourselves to other things, Moses coming down the mountain

I think we spend way too much time stressed out over whether or not God caused the famine….instead of doing something about it.

If the only questions you are asking is “God get me out of this!” Then I think it is time to move. To join God in this work.

Example: Small groups, how is your life with God. Inability to answer this question.

We must do something in the middle of it.

God’s love breaks through in the famine

At first glance, it looks like there is some vindictive stuff happening here in the story of Joseph and the brothers. It appears that Joseph is trying to punish them, but that is not at all what is happening. God is working through Joseph to bring about God’s will. Remember in the beginning there is this vision God gives Joseph that he will rule and be a blessing to many. The blessing of God was to come through this family. The promise of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would continue through Joseph even though things are so messed up. But Joseph is treated as a spy and nearly killed and thrown into prison.

Joseph accuses them of being spies because he is testing them to see if they have dealt with the past and willing to submit to their wrongs to join this blessing and be a part of what God is doing.

Even though they have been in a spiral for 20 years…God is still going to give them an opportunity for healing.

God does not allow us to stay in that place of decay. He will align the opportunity for healing, he will bring to light the darkness that we hide, he will open the door for us to repent, confess, and open up to what he can do.

But God will not overwhelm your free will, you have to step through the door.

This may hurt, you may have to face your past.

Joseph had to face the hurt to ever come to a place like this. And the brothers will have to go to Egypt. They will have to go to the place they have avoided at all costs. The place they sold their brother. They will have to face the facts and the destruction of the past. They will be accused of being spies…they accused their bro of spying on them, then they are thrown into prison….it is there that they barely confess that they did something wrong.

And if you are looking at this from either perspective, this does not look fun. But hear this friends…God does not want you to live in famine. He wants to untangle you from the web of destruction. He wants to set you free from the brokenness in the past that was done to you or you caused.

I don’t know if God creates the famines we face in this life, but what I do know is that in the middle of it….no matter what it is, God is present. That’s grace. Love that heals wounds. Love that vindicates evil. Love that strengthens you when you cannot go on.

If you are in a famine…quit sitting there and looking around you. Go! Go to Egypt.

How?

Confession.

Dr. Pete Bellini:

“Confession is our best kept secret.”

The Truth about confession:

Confession is telling the truth to what God already knows

Confession is telling ourselves the truth

Confession is the diagnosis necessary for healing

I just got back from Denver this week. I am in a group of pastors that desired something more for our families, ministry, and churches. We live in covenant together with expectations on how we live and lead. This week was the second yearly retreat and we were asked to reflect on this past year and what God has brought you through.

Last fall I went in there dry and lost. So much going on in my life and there was a numbness I couldn’t identify. Then one night, a friend began to pray over me and he began to pray about God’s love for me. I folded. Was overwhelmed like I heard it for the first time.

This was confusing. Why was this such a big deal. But then I was invited into a time of confession and I began to say things like: God I don’t know if I believe you love me. I measure your love for me by things I accomplish for you.

This past year has been a journey of just knowing I am loved. That my value and worth is not found in what I do for people, at least not fundamentally, and definitely not with God.

I felt so childish admitting this in front of friends and very “impressive”pastors. But even naming it and actually telling God about it, gave room for me to hear the good news God has for me.....and for God to identify the lies of the enemy.

What truth do you need to say today?

bitterness about family

anger at God because of something you have to carry, or failed expectations?

sin, addiction

Friends, God is not insecure about how you feel about him. He isn’t one who needs you to always like him. Go read the psalms. But God is the one who desires your wholeness and freedom. And God is the one who already knows what youre carrying and wants you to let Him go with you.