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Letting Go

Words of Faith Final

Letting Go
Words of Faith 7-27-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 43
Now the famine was still severe in the land. [2] So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father (Israel/Jacob) said to them, "Go back and buy us a little more food."
[3] But Judah said to him, "The man warned us solemnly, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.' [4] If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. [5] But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'"
[6] Israel (Jacob) asked, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?"
[7] They replied, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. 'Is your father still living?' he asked us. 'Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here?"
[8] Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. [9] I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. [10] As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice."
[11] Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift--a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. [12] Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. [13] Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. [14] And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved."

What a terrible choice to make! Jacob had already lost his beloved wife, Rachel. Then he lost his treasured son, Joseph, and yet another son Simeon. Now, the only way to gain food so his family would not starve was to send all his remaining sons back to Egypt along with Benjamin, the baby! No wonder he was bereaved! But what a powerful image. Jacob had to let go of someone he loved to save all he loved.
Sometimes we must let go of something or someone we love to receive what God has for us. This was the same lesson that Abraham had learned at Mt. Moriah. To find the blessing of God, Abraham had to surrender the most precious thing in his life-- Isaac, the long-awaited son.
Sometimes God will call us to let go of the very thing we think we are sure of to show us how much He loves us and desires the very best for us. When Abraham was obedient, God miraculously provided a ram for the sacrifice. But Abraham never would have encountered Jehovah-Jireh-- "I AM Provider"-- had he not trusted and obeyed the directive of God.
Later in Israel's history, God would codify this principle as part of worship. God would establish the "firstfruit" offering. How difficult it must have been to let go of the first fruits from a crop after laboring all summer in the fields! God established a "tithe," the return of a tenth of everything to God. But God promised a marvelous blessing would come to those who trusted Him enough to return a tithe to Him (Malachi 3:10).
The issue is trust. The point here is not so much about sowing and reaping or trying to have more. It is about trusting that God loves us and has a plan. We are invited to trust that we can release the people and things we treasure into the hand of God. We are called to trust that God is in charge and genuinely desires to provide for us.
Is there something you have been clinging to? Is there something you have been holding back from God? Is there a "Benjamin" that you have jealously guarded? Perhaps it is time to let go so that God can provide and bless you.

Father, it is so easy to become attached in this world. I become attached to people, places, and things. I want to be attached to You! Help me as I release my grip on the things of this earth. I trust You. Lead and guide me this day. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.