Hidden in Plain Sight | Genesis 44 | Crossroads Daily

I think about the closest friendships I have. And they've all had points of tension. And I mean, I have some people that like, you know, I think we all have like the, it's only fun friend. You know, like you don't have any difficulty with them. Like they're fun, you hang out with them and it's fun. But man, I think about like, who are the people that I really go to and lean on? Like we've either had to work on our own conflict or they've been with me through something really hard or I've been with them through something really hard. And so that friendship is strong in a different way because time and difficulty has been a part of it. This is the Crossroads Daily. No experts, no perfect people, just honest conversations about what happens when the Bible shows up in real life. Hey, I'm Chuck. I'm Debo. I'm Miko. I'm Peter. We're following the story of Joseph. And today there's this, it's pretty cool. Like, you know, he tests his brothers one more time. And these brothers have to be at this point, like, why? Enough, I'm sorry, God, I know we did this bad. Like, man, but I just, there's just power in that. So it's interesting though, because what we see today is Judah, one of the brothers, is actually gonna fall on the sword for his other brothers, right?

So Joseph sets up Benjamin. Benjamin didn't do the thing, the stealing. Judah takes the hit for it. And I wonder, can you think about someone who's done that for you? Is there someone who's fallen on a sword for you? Other than Jesus? Other than Jesus, who definitely is the answer. Every time, it's always the answer, every time. I immediately think of my dad, honestly. Especially when I was young. My parents sacrificed a lot to send me to an expensive private school for the first, like, five years of my elementary school. And he would work in the Kroger Deli at night, to make extra money. And that, like, killed, it was, it's not a fun job. It's hard work. Cleaning out those fryers, all that fried chicken that they make? Yeah, no, not a fun job. And so that's my first immediate thought. And I'm so grateful to him for that. I think of my parents, too. My dad worked a blue collar job, and mom was home. And I think about just the commitment they made to me. And my, I always say, my parents had to be tired of parenting by the time I came along. Like, there's 21 years between me and my oldest brother. 13 years between me and my youngest siblings,

my closest sibling, I'm the youngest. So, like, my parents hadn't changed diapers. They hadn't done any of that stuff in 13 years. And they were old. And yet, I think about just the commitment they had to show up. Like, the thing that I would say about my parents is, man, they just showed up. And at cost, definitely at cost. And so I'm grateful for them as well. Yeah, I think of my friend and mentor. Her name is Sherry, and she's from, I lived in Springfield, Missouri for a while. And she's there. But any time I would need her here, there's been times where she's flown here to, like, help move me. There's been times where she's just like, hey, I know that, like, I haven't seen you in a while, and I just want to spend time with you and pour into you. And I'm coming to you. Like, there's, over the last five years that I've been here, there's been so many times that she's shown up for me and, like, taken that, just, sacrifice. Just sacrifice of time and energy and money just to, like, be here with me. And so that's somebody I thought of, because she's, yeah, she's done so much for me. Wow, thank you, Sherry. Yeah, that's such a good friend, man.

Yeah, she's great. She's awesome. Yeah, yeah. I think, naturally, my mom, kind of, like, in the same vein you guys spoke from. I often remember, recall my mom walking to work for, like, miles. And looking back on it, it was, like, at Walmart, you know? And I'm, like, yo, every day? You know what I'm saying? Like, in the moment, you don't think much of it, but it's, like, before we would be woke, before we would wake up, she would already be gone and, you know, maybe have some stuff out for us for breakfast or, you know, we kind of knew the routine or whatever. But then I remember, like, when I started driving and I would drive that, I'm, like, you used to walk this? Like, this is, like, maybe a 10-minute drive. And I'm, like, you would walk this. But, yeah, that's who comes to mind for me. That's amazing, man. It's really good to be thankful for that, too, just to pause and think about, you know, there are people who fall on the sword for us and just to be thankful for that, you know? A couple days ago, we were talking about putting ourselves in the shoes of Joseph's brothers. And we're gonna do that again. Because, man, they are being forged by time and difficulty.

They just are. Joseph was, as well, but, boy, they are being forged by time and difficulty. And I'm wondering, can you look at something today that God has produced in you that truthfully? came through time and difficulty? Because nothing forges you like time and difficulty. I would say my faith, sense of resilience, and just like an unwavering, I think just the ability to see God no matter what the situation is, to see him in it and to trust that he's somehow a part of in it, no matter what it looks like in my life or in a friend's life. It's like, okay, but what is God doing in this? Because he's not gonna leave you in his season without that, you know what I mean? There's something he's doing in it. And I think over just that time, just over a period of time, just going through, like being the pressure of the difficulty just being on you, where there's not even any relief from it, it's also grown me in this fondness of his presence. Like when that's your only provision, his presence. Relief isn't an answer or an answer. The solution is, you don't know what the solution is gonna be some point down the road. But right now, God, I still need right now to at least kind of feel good.

I need some resemblance of good. When all he has for you is his presence, you just grow fond. So yeah, those thoughts come to mind. That's good. That's good. I think about the closest friendships I have, and they've all had points of tension. Mm. Wow. And I mean, I have some people that like, you know, I think we all have like the, it's only fun friend. You know? You don't have any difficulty with them. But they're fun. You hang out with them and it's fun. But man, I think about like, who are the people that I really go to and lean on? Like, we've either had to work on our own conflict, or they've been with me through something really hard. Or I've been with them through something really hard. And so that friendship is strong in a different way because time and difficulty has been a part of it. You know? Yeah. I'd have to say, I'd probably say my ability to hear from God. Oh, yeah. Because I'm, as maybe a lot of people can relate to,

a lot of times, I'm going to God a lot more in a time of difficulty. Yeah. Going to God. And I wish I could say it was an even split, you know, in the good and the bad, that I'm just as connected. But oftentimes it's in those hard moments. And when I'm really seeking Him, when I'm really pursuing Him, and just trying to think of a good specific moment, you know, I would say I was in a worship service, and for some reason He brought to mind, I had just gone through a bad breakup, had a few other ones, and something in the service just triggered a memory. And then I heard God. Like, this is a thought that I didn't, I knew it didn't come from me, because I didn't even, yeah, it was, He just said the words, it wasn't wasted. And I didn't even know I was believing that lie to begin with, because I'd been through all these different, and I was like, oh, well, because they didn't have the result that I thought that they were supposed to have, that, oh, like, it's all wasted time. And He's like, no, like, you showed love, of my kind of love to people. And that's never wasted.

You know, it's like, ah, that's so good. What? You know? Yeah. Yeah, I love that. And I mean, there's a part of Joseph's story in there, right, to him realizing none of this suffering was wasted. That's so good. Yeah. Well, I think you guys know I love the Bible. I do love the Bible sometimes. There's a nugget in this story that I want us all to catch, and I pray it just, like, really speaks to our spirit, because it talks about God's long plan of salvation and rescue. Who's the brother who decides to take the hit for all of the other brothers in the passage we read today? Judah. It's Judah. And do you know what tribe Jesus is from? Judah. He's the lion of the tribe of Judah. So in this story, we see an elder brother who is willing to fall on the sword for his younger brothers, willing to be imprisoned so they can go free. That's so good. And it is absolutely a prediction of the gospel. That a better elder brother named Jesus was gonna come.

And even though he wasn't responsible for our sin, he was gonna take the hit, fall on the sword. He would go into the prison of hell so that we could be free. And the amazing thing about our big brother, Jesus, is he didn't stay in prison, but he rose again. And I just love when we see that. Somebody sound the organs right now. Yeah. Yeah, be free. It speaks to the long story of redemption that God is writing. I feel like he puts these things in the Old Testament as love letters for us to just know, even back then, I was thinking about you. Even back then, I was thinking about rescue. And man, maybe you need to hear this. hear that today, maybe today you need to know that like where you are right now, even through this, you're gonna look back and say, man, even there, God was plotting for my rescue, He was plotting for my freedom. I was never abandoned, I was never alone. And so I just pray that blesses you today. ♪♪♪