Devotional: “I Am Bereaved.”

Genesis 43:14b, “As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

This statement was made by Jacob upon having to allow Benjamin to be carried by Judah to the ruler of Israel. He knew there was risk involved in sending Benjamin, but had no choice. He knew that the potential for death and loss of his youngest child was real. Without the ability to stop the exchange, lest they all die of starvation, Jacob reluctantly allowed Benjamin to go. Realizing the risk and the necessity, he resolved, “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” His comment was one of acceptance of the potential for grief. Bereavement and grief are a part of life. It is inevitable. Like C.S. Lewis once said, “Every human relationship ends in pain.” It is not something we look forward to, but it is a reality common to every person. We cannot escape it.

I also believe this statement is a resolution from his prior experience. He had greatly grieved the loss of Joseph and it had a lingering effect on him. He had survived loss before, but that doesn’t mean he wanted to experience it again. At this juncture in his life, Jacob knew the inevitability of experiencing grief as a part of life, and he knew that he would deal with grief again, if necessary. His statement was a fact of the reality of bereavement, not an embracing of the fact. Bereavement, though never desired, must be accepted, for no one is immune.