Jacob and Joseph

Last week, as I was studying the Sunday School lesson, a thought that never occurred to me before, increased my love and awe in how good and wonderful is the Lord!

That God knows the beginning from the end.

That in our human inability to understand the whys and the whens, God is able to make all things right.

Because He knows how a particular situation, a certain circumstance, even an accident, can bring His purposes about.

The story is of Jacob when he "loses" Joseph.

When Joseph becomes a "missing person" and there is no "person of interest" because the persons of interest told their father that their brother had maybe been torn up by wild beasts.

Missing.  No body.  No evidence but a shredded coat.

And for the first time while reading this story - because I am a mother now - my heart ached with Jacob, for "he refused to be comforted."

But the thing about this story, is that we know what happened to Joseph!

And even more than that, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we know that what is happening because of The Restoration was because of Joseph!

But right then - in those moments when Joseph's brothers sold him (for twenty pieces of silver) and then told their father he was dead - and then for many subsequent years to follow, Jacob was missing one of his sons.

And God, in His goodness, allowed so many things to play out out of that one misfortune.

Joseph, literally becoming the savior to his family and the whole Israelite kingdom.  Being a type and shadow of the Savior Himself who was sold (for thirty pieces of silver) and left for dead, but was then resurrected to save all of His Father's kindgom. . .

And as I contemplated the great love that both fathers had for their sons (God, the Eternal Father and Jacob) - enough love to let their love bless me - I feel such a greater appreciation for this Easter Week.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "