Genesis 45:23, 24
And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.
I like this because Joseph does not just send his brothers on their way with a wave and a warning. He sends them with provision. He gives them what they will need for the journey. Bread, corn, meat, the good things of Egypt. Then he says, “See that ye fall not out by the way.”
That is such a needed word.
Joseph knew the road back would not be short. It would take time. It would take strength. It would take endurance. So he makes sure they have what they need before they leave. That is just like our Lord. He never calls us to walk with Him and then leaves us empty handed. He gives us what is needed for the road. He gives us His Word. He gives us His Spirit. He gives us grace for today, and then grace again for tomorrow.
And then comes the warning.
“See that ye fall not out by the way.”
Because it is easy to do that. It is easy to get worn down. Easy to get distracted. Easy to get discouraged. Easy to start looking at your pain, your pressure, your fear, your finances, your disappointments, and begin to lose heart. It is easy to say, “I have had enough. I am tired. I just want to back off a little.”
But our greater Joseph would say, “Do not do that. Do not fall back. Do not give up. Keep going.”
Jesus said in John 14:6:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Because He identified Himself as the Way, the early believers were known as those of the Way. I think there is something beautiful in that connection. Joseph is saying, in picture form, “I have given you everything you need to make it from where you are to where I am. Just do not fall out on the road.”
That is the issue for so many people.
Not how they begin, but whether they continue.
Jesus made that plain in Matthew 13 when He spoke of the seed and the soils. Some receive the Word quickly, but when heat comes, they wither. Some are choked by the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pull of other things. Some never really take root at all. But some go deep. Some hold on. Some bear fruit.
That has always sobered me.
Not everybody who starts keeps going. Not everybody who responds deeply at first goes on deeply in the end. Some fade when life gets hard. Some get crowded out by other loves. Some just drift.
But then there are those dear saints who keep walking.
They have had setbacks. They have had losses. They have had heartaches. They have had prayers that seemed delayed. They have had seasons where they limped more than they ran. But they did not fall out by the way. Their roots went deep in the Word, and they just kept going.
That is what I want.
I do not want to be all excitement and no depth. I do not want to respond well only when life is easy. I do not want to be ruled by comfort, money, fear, or fatigue. I want roots. I want steadiness. I want the kind of life that just keeps walking with Jesus through every season.
And the good news is, He has provided for that journey.
Joseph did not send his brothers out starving. And Jesus does not send His people out empty. He gives us what we need. The question is whether we will stay in the Way. Whether we will stay near Him. Whether we will keep receiving from Him what He so freely gives.
Beloved, the road may be longer than you expected. It may be harder than you wanted. But do not fall out by the way. Stay in the Word. Stay close to Jesus. Stay soft before Him. Stay moving toward home.
He has already given you what you need for the journey.