Genesis 41:52 NLT
Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.”
Throughout the Scriptures, God’s gracious kindness is seen to turn the distressful moments of His people into blessed memories. The LORD does that because He is “…a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Psa 86:15 NKJV). Indeed, with His own words, the LORD once introduced Himself to Moses as “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth” (Exo 34:6 NKJV). Even when He is right to move in judgment sometimes, God’s mercy ultimately triumphs; “For He knows our [mortal] frame; He remembers that we are [merely] dust” (Psa 103:14 AMP).
Having gone through the mistreatment in the hands of his brothers, the false accusations and the imprisonment, and all the grief associated with being a slave, separated from his family, Joseph certainly had a lot to weigh down his heart permanently. However, in the midst of all that, “The LORD WAS WITH Joseph…” (Gen 39:2 AMP). Yes, although Joseph neither saw Him physically nor heard Him verbatim, as Moses did (according to the recorded account), the LORD was with him, rescued him from all harm, and blessed him in many ways. One way God’s blessings healed Joseph’s heart was by giving him a son. He would name the lad, Ephraim; saying, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief”, as in our text. Hallelujah!
The LORD graciously did a similar thing with Naomi, who had been grieved beyond measure. Upon losing all her family members and having no grandson from her deceased sons, Naomi was troubled in soul. However, the same God she had said caused her “great grief and bitterness” (Rut 1:20 AMP) would give her a lasting blessed memory to keep! God blessed Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law, with a son through Boaz. The LORD healed Naomi’s heart through that, as “…the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the LORD, who has NOT LEFT YOU this day without a close relative…may he be to you a restorer of life” (Ruth 4:14-15 NKJV). Blessed be the LORD who does not leave His own and restores every grieved soul.
Pst. Emmanuel
