“…As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time. Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.” – Genesis 46:29-30 (NIV)
Jacob lived for years believing his son Joseph was dead. The grief never left him. Love does not disappear just because hope seems gone — it lingers, it aches, it waits. Jacob carried that sorrow quietly, never imagining that the son he mourned was alive and that God was still at work in the silence.
Joseph’s journey was marked by betrayal, loss, and injustice. Sold by his brothers, imprisoned despite his faithfulness, forgotten after helping others — there were many moments when God’s purpose must have felt distant. Yet even in those dark seasons, God was shaping Joseph for something greater than he could see.
When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, Scripture tells us he wept loudly (Genesis 45:1-2). And when he reunited with his father, Joseph embraced Jacob and “wept for a long time.” This was not a rushed reunion. It was love finally released after years of restraint, pain, and unanswered questions.
Jacob believed love had ended in death. Joseph revealed that love had been preserved through purpose. “God sent me ahead of you to preserve life,” Joseph says (Genesis 45:7-8). These words do not erase the pain — but they give it meaning.
This is the power of love: it survives grief, distance, and time.
This is the power of purpose: God redeems what others intended for harm.
God did not waste Jacob’s years of sorrow, nor did God abandon Joseph in his suffering. What looked like a loss was actually preparation. What felt like silence was God working behind the scenes to bring restoration not only to one family, but to an entire people.
Sometimes we mourn what we believe is gone forever. Sometimes we question whether our suffering has any meaning. But this account reminds us that God is faithful beyond what we can see. Love is never wasted, and purpose is never absent — even when the path is painful.
What have you grieved as lost that God may still be holding for a greater purpose?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Faithful One, help us to trust the process. Even when it seems difficult and daunting to love others, when the purpose is unclear. Redeem our pain, restore our hope, and remind us that You are still working — even when we cannot see it. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Read: Genesis 45:8-11; 1 John 4:21
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 18:16-24; Matthew 22:15-46; Job 30; Job 31; Job 32