The Reunion

"So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.  They told him, 'Joseph is still alive.  In fact he is ruler of all Egypt!'  Jacob was stunned."  Genesis 45:25-26a

Jacob could hardly believe the news his sons brought him--that Joseph was alive and a ruler in Egypt and that he wanted his family to join him so he could take care of them during the famine.  So the whole family of seventy packed up and set out for Egypt.  However, as eager as Jacob was to see his son Joseph, he stopped at Beersheba and offered sacrifices to God.  And God gave him reassurance for the journey.

When Joseph got word that his family was close, he went to meet his father.  Genesis 46:29b says,  "As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time."  I bet there wasn't a dry eye in the whole crowd as they witnessed this tender reunion.  

The reunion of Joseph and Jacob is a picture of the reunions we will experience as we join our loved ones in heaven.  Gibran, in his book The Prophet, wrote,  "The deeper sorrow carves into our being, the more joy we can contain."  Both Jacob and Joseph had endured years of sorrow and grief at the separation between them.  Neither one had expected to see the other one again in their lifetimes.  But we can expect to not only see those who have died in Christ again, but we will have all of eternity to rejoice at their presence with us.

When my precious mother died, I wrote a little poem in anticipation of our reunion.  It is called The Hundred Year Hug, and it makes me think of Jacob and Joseph and all who are separated at this time from those they love the most.  One day our sorrows will be replaced with great joy.

The Hundred Year Hug

When I get up to heaven and Mother meets me at the gate

I'll throw my arms around her, and all else will have to wait.

I'll hug and hug and hug her, 'mid many smiles and tears,

And then I'll hug and squeeze some more, for about a hundred years.

As that beautiful song, Because He Lives, says, "Because He lives, we too shall live."  Rejoice, Christian, for the joy that is coming.

Father, thank You for the joy that we will one day experience in Your presence and the presence of those we have loved on earth.  Amen.