Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
– Genesis 46:29
This is one of my favorite verses in the whole Book of Genesis, and there’s a pretty personal reason behind why. Just imagine the scene. Here is Israel/Jacob who years before, thought his son hadn’t died, has been living like his son had died. And you have Joseph who for decades has not seen, or talked to his dad whom he loved. The scene is set for a powerful reunion when they see each other’s faces. The Bible says Joseph fell on his dad’s neck and wept on his neck for a good while. Obviously, we don’t know how long that is, but we can just imagine this prolonged scene with all the emotions it involves as a father and son are reunited.
Whenever I read this verse, I think about my dad. Years ago, unexpectedly due to a heart attack, he one night went to be with the Lord, and I can’t wait for this day. I can’t wait for this reunion that I know is coming because my dad knew. Or better put, knows Jesus as the resurrection and the life. And I know there’s coming the day when I’m going to lock eyes with my dad and I’m going to see him again. I don’t know what all those emotions will be like in Heaven. Or how they might be different than they were here on earth. But I am really looking forward to that day.
Genesis 46:29 pictures the joy of reunion in Heaven.
I just want to encourage you on so many different levels when you think about those who have gone before you, who you love, who are in Christ. Look forward to that day. Look forward with great anticipation to the day when you are going to lock eyes with them and you are going to see them and you are going to hug them in a heavenly way.
I don’t know how else to put it. Every tear is going to be wiped away from your eye by the Lord, Savior, and King who has conquered death and who has saved you and that person you love. So look forward to that day. And at the same time, live today to lead others to the resurrection and the life of Jesus. This is what matters forever.
Look around at family members today whom you love, friends you love, people you work with, go to school with, and interact with. Let’s live today so that this reunion will happen in Heaven for all of eternity with the people we love, live alongside, and work alongside. Oh God, we praise you that this world with all its suffering and sorrow and tears is not the end of the story for all who trust in you. Jesus, we praise you as the Resurrection and Life, and for the promise of reunion in eternal life with all who trust in you.
Genesis 46:29 points to the urgency of sharing the gospel.
God, I am so thankful for my dad. I just think about all the people praying right now… Who have people in their lives who they love, who they long for a reunion with. Who have gone on to be with you, who have come home to you. God, we look forward to the day when we’re going to see them. We praise you for them. And we look forward to the day when we will see them.
And we praise You, Jesus, as the one who makes all of this possible. We praise you as the one who will wipe every tear from our eyes. Lord, we trust in you. We trust in you for the next 10 trillion years of our lives, and we trust in you for today. And we pray… I pray especially for any who are walking through particular grief right now in losing someone they love.
God, I just pray for your comfort, your strength, your help, your hope, just all the resources of your Holy Spirit over them. God, as I pray for that, I pray for all of us that you would give us urgency today to share the gospel with family members, friends, and people around us today. Help us to live for what’s going to matter forever. Help us to live so that this reunion will be possible in you, Jesus… Because we have trusted in you and proclaimed you to others.
Prayer for the Hunan Iu Mien People
Oh God, we pray specifically today… Just think about all the generations among the Hunan Iu Mien people of China, that there’s hundreds of thousands of them and they’ve never heard the gospel, the good news of resurrection in life in Jesus.
No known followers of Jesus among them. God, we pray for the Hunan Iu Mien people that they would know this hope, you would help us as the church to spread it to them, raise up laborers to get the gospel to them in China, from outside of China. God, we pray for the salvation of the Hunan Iu Mien people, for unreached people around the world that they might be reached with this good news, that they might experience this reunion through you, Jesus, the resurrection, and the life for all of eternity. Oh God, we pray all of this according to your Word in Genesis 46:29. In Jesus’ name, amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
