Genesis 37:29-36: a reflection

29Reuben returned to the pit, and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?” 31They took Joseph’s tunic, and killed a male goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood. 32They took the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, and see if it is your son’s tunic or not.” 33He recognized it, and said, “It is my son’s tunic. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.” 34Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” His father wept for him. 36The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.

Joseph's brothers, having sold him into slavery, deceive their father with his bloodied robe, and Jacob concludes that Joseph is dead, torn by a wild animal. His grief is inconsolable: he tears his clothes, mourns many days, and refuses to be comforted, saying he will go down to the grave still mourning his son. But we, the readers, know what Jacob does not: Joseph is alive, and God is at work through these very events for the future salvation of Jacob's whole family.

Notice the gap between Jacob's despair and God's hidden work. Jacob mourned Joseph as dead, inconsolable, believing all was lost. But unknown to him, Joseph was alive; and God was at work through these very events, which seemed only tragedy, positioning Joseph in Egypt where he would one day save the whole family from famine. What Jacob grieved as the end was, in God's hidden working, part of a greater purpose. God was at work even in the grief, in ways Jacob could not see.

That gap, between our grief and God's hidden work, is a comfort. When we are in deep grief, believing all is lost, inconsolable, we see only the tragedy; but God may be at work through the very events we grieve, in ways we cannot see, for purposes beyond our present sight. Jacob grieved as though all were lost, while God was working for the family's salvation. When you are in deep grief, believing all is lost, remember that God may be at work in ways you cannot see, through the very events you grieve. Your grief may not be the whole story; God was working through Jacob's grief for a future he could not see. Do not despair as though your grief were the end and all were lost; God may be at work, even in what you grieve, for purposes beyond your present sight, as he worked through Jacob's grief for a salvation Jacob could not yet see. Trust that God is at work even in your griefs, unseen, for good you cannot yet perceive.

Lord, Joseph's brothers deceived their father with his bloodied robe, and Jacob concluded Joseph was dead, his grief inconsolable; he tore his clothes, mourned many days, and refused to be comforted. But we know what Jacob did not: Joseph was alive, and you were at work through these very events for the future salvation of the whole family. Show me the gap between Jacob's despair and your hidden work. Jacob mourned as though all were lost; but unknown to him, Joseph was alive, and you were working through what seemed only tragedy, for a greater purpose. You were at work even in the grief, in ways Jacob could not see. Give me the comfort of that gap between my grief and your hidden work. When I am in deep grief, believing all is lost, I see only the tragedy; but you may be at work through the very events I grieve, in ways I cannot see, for purposes beyond my present sight. Jacob grieved as though all were lost, while you worked for the family's salvation. When I am in deep grief, help me remember that you may be at work in ways I cannot see, through the very events I grieve. My grief may not be the whole story. Keep me from despairing as though my grief were the end and all were lost; you may be at work, even in what I grieve, Lord, for purposes beyond my sight, as you worked through Jacob's grief. Help me trust that you are at work even in my griefs, unseen, for good I cannot yet perceive.