Genesis 42:28 Plot Twists

Genesis 42:28 “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

I love plot twists. This is what keeps stories engaging and fun. Without the twists, you could tell almost any story on one page, and what would be the fun in that.

Think about romantic comedies that we see portrayed in the movies. There are only so many ways that the romance can go. The pair is an unlikely pair. They reluctantly have to work together. Along the way the fall for each other. There is some kind of breakup, and then they return for the “THE END” in love and moving forward.

Murder mysteries have a similar known plot line. With mysteries the red herrings are introduced as a way to distract us from the real killer. These false leads string us along with the hope that the killer will be found and brought to justice. It all ends as the detective puts the clues together after a sudden flash of insight.

Our text places us in the middle of one of the great stories of the Scriptures. It is ingeniously written to show the faithfulness of the LORD to HIs people and to increase our trust in HIm. He will come through no matter the circumstances, and He honors faithfulness on the part of His people.

PLOT SUMMARY: The LORD is in charge. He has a plan to rescue and save. He puts the plot in motion through unlikely circumstances. Tension builds. The LORD is shown faithful.

We find ourselves in one of those tension building moments. Ten brothers have traveled at the request of their father to buy food. Think beginning of the pandemic when you had to wait in line outside the store to purchase toilet paper! Now you are starting to understand.

They arrive and complete the transaction after a conversation with the man in charge of food distribution. They answer a few security questions and are unexpectedly accused of being spies. One of their number is held back by the official until verification of their story is obtained. They leave to go get there proof of their story.

On the first night of their travel back, the plot twists. The money they used to purchase the food was placed back in the top their grocery bags. They conclude it is because of a hidden sin that they conspired to keep from their father. The music swells, and the dreaded “To Be Continued” flashes across the screen.

Is there a plot twist in your life, an unexpected turn along the way? Have you passed it or are you coming up to it now? How many have there been over the years? I know I have had my share.

As we place ourselves in the story we can see that the plot twists are leading somewhere. Some of the previous questions that we asked along the way as we read are being answered. Some still linger.

This is how life is. As we bring our life into the place the LORD wants it to be, there will be twists that we don’t expect. He works in ways that don’t match our expectations of plot lines. Joseph id after all just spend two years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit so that at the crucial moment he could be rescued and then be used to rescue whole nations. Now that is a plot twist I did’t see coming!

Could the plot twists in your life be part of the LORD’s plan for you? Can you embrace the tension and the unknown and allow the LORD to direct? I hope so!