Genesis 49-50
Endings are new beginnings.
The book of Genesis ends with a new beginning. Here we read of the death of the two main patriarchal characters at this point in the story, Jacob and Joseph, as well as their burial in the promised land. While those are indeed sad events, the reading of these final two chapters of Genesis are anything but sad. They are actually filled with anticipation and hope for God is about to do next. We don't close the book of Genesis with any sense of closure at all. On the contrary, it seems as though the book of Genesis was only the beginning of the story. Genesis closes with an enthusiasm to open the book of Exodus.
There's a saying: Whenever God closes one door, He'll open another. The book of Genesis closes in such a way that certainly affirms that saying. In times when doors are closing all around us, a statement such as this can help us muster up the faith to remain hopeful in what God has promised to do next. This is important because it is often in these times of transition when we lose patience with God, and wind up behaving unfaithfully.
When doors are closing, we can feel claustrophobic. Feelings of loss, failure, grief, shame, loneliness can close in upon us. Our own personal demons begin to close in and torment us in a way that brings to mind some of our nightmares. When things all around us are closing in like this, it can be very difficult to wait on the Lord to open a new door. We become more vulnerable than ever to giving up our faith and pushing open a door of our own choosing. Times like these are not times to act desperately, hastily. They are not times to bust open a new hole in the wall. They are times to be patient, and wait for the Lord. Rather than trying to force your own new opening, wait, and let God bring the right one to you. He will make a way.
When the book of Genesis ends we are eager to turn to the book of Exodus and find out how God will get Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. But, when we turn the page, the opening words of Exodus remind us that many generations passed before the time of the Exodus. Israel waited on the Lord, and the Lord made a way for them.
Are there doors that have closed around you? If so, wait for the Lord. Times of transition are not times for desperate, life changing decisions. They are times to wait for the Lord. This waiting time is a good time to take on those demons of yours that try to frighten you and make you anxious to behave unfaithfully. The fellowship of believers can be your support. Invite others to pray for you. Devote yourself more regularly to prayer than ever. Then wait, and watch for the new beginning that God will open up. He will make a way. Every ending is indeed a new beginning.
On Good Friday it seemed by all rationality that the doors of Jesus' mission had all been closed. As Jesus' body lay dead in a tomb, the disciples huddled in fear behind the locked doors of a closed room. But, then on that first Easter morning, God opened the tomb, and then Jesus opened the doors on the disciples.
Lord God, thank you for opening doors for me that I might never have dreamed possible. Thank you for opening the tomb on that first Easter morning. When endings come and doors are closed to me, help me gird up my faith so that I might wait patiently for you to make for me a new beginning. In Jesus' name. Amen
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