Read: Genesis 42: 29-38

Reflect:
In ancient times, idols were made by men but worshiped as gods. Today an idol is a bit harder to recognize. “An idol is anything in our lives that occupies the place that should be occupied by God alone. Anything that…is central in my life, anything that seems to me…essential…An idol is anything by which I live and on which I depend, anything that…holds such a controlling position in my life that…it moves and rouses and attracts so much of my time and attention, my energy and money” (D.M. Lloyd-Jones). Jacob certainly has an idol as we can see in his response to his sons’ report about their trip to Egypt. Jacob’s focus isn’t on the providentially returned money or the abundance of food in Egypt. Rather, he is very focussed on himself. Jacob’s response to Reuben, which is presumably spoken in the presence of his eleven remaining sons, was shocking to me: “My son (Benjamin) will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. (ouch!) If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.” Jacob’s desperate cry is that, if something happened to Benjamin, his life would no longer be worth living. God will never leave him, as was promised to him (see Genesis 28:13-15), but, to Jacob, if Benjamin is gone so is all hope. The love Jacob had for Joseph and now directed toward the other son he had with Rachel had become greater than his love for God. That is an idol. There are things in my life that I have had to surrender to God, things that I was treasuring more than Him, things that I was holding onto with clenched hands. I am slowly learning that Jesus fully satisfies and agree with the words of this old hymn, that when you “turn your eyes upon Jesus, and look full in His wonderful face, then the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” Jesus exceeds our expectations, provides for our needs, and fulfills our desires. Christ alone can provide the satisfaction and joy we so desperately seek.

Pray:
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35) Thank God that Jesus fully satisfies and ask Him to show you any idols in your life that are preventing you from fully enjoying and glorifying God. “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”