California is in the midst of a drought.  I discussed this with family members and friends this weekend; some of them are heavily affected.  The underground aquifers are receding, so those with wells are concerned that they will run out of water.  Some already have.  Farmers are receiving as little as 10% of their surface water needs.  Their only alternative is to pump groundwater compounding the problem.  Farmers and those living in outlining areas could lose everything.  As I contemplated this news, the idea of losing everything struck me.

If I lost everything, I’d have to start all over with nothing.   Or, would I?  Jacob in the book of Genesis faced losing everything.  There was a great famine in the land.  You can imagine his crops were dying, and his animals were dying.  He was losing everything. So he sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain.  Unknown to Jacob his sons had sold their brother Joseph into slavery. The brothers were not aware that Joseph was now in charge of all Egypt by Pharaoh’s order.  This was an interesting turn of events.  In the end things worked out with Jacob and his whole family living in Egypt.  Pharaoh gave them land.  They were safe and prosperous.  Jacob lived out the rest of his years in the comfort of Egypt. (You can read the whole story in Genesis Chapter 37, and 39-47.)

I found great comfort as I remembered this story.  God had a plan.  Jacob and his sons were living through the events of their lives unaware of how they fit into God’s plan.  Like them, I am unaware of how I fit into God’s plan.  I walk through the events of my life, which may include facing the loss of everything, just trusting God.  What else can I do?  In Proverbs 3:5 we are encouraged, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  This is a lot easier to understand in light of the story in Genesis.  I don’t know the big picture.  I just have to trust the one who does.