Context No. 3505 of 4322 · Genesis

Genesis 43:11-16: in context

11Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds; 12and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man. 14May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 15The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”

Driven by famine, Jacob finally agrees to let Benjamin go down to Egypt, though it terrifies him to risk his youngest son. He does what he can, sending a gift of the land's best fruits and double the money, and then he lets go with a prayer and a surrender: may God grant you mercy before the man, and if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

That last line is the sound of a man releasing what he cannot control into God's hands. Jacob had clung to Benjamin, unwilling to lose the last son of his beloved Rachel, but the situation forces him to release him, and he does it with prayer and a kind of hard-won trust. He commits the outcome to God's mercy and accepts whatever comes. There is real faith in if I am bereaved, I am bereaved, not a cold fatalism, but the surrender of what is precious into God's keeping, doing all one can and then trusting God with the rest that lies beyond our control.

Can I release into God's hands what I cannot control, even what is precious to me, doing what I can and then trusting his mercy with the outcome?

Sources

Genesis 43:14: "May God Almighty give you mercy before the man... If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
Genesis 43:13: "Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man."
Psalm 31:15: "My times are in your hand."