In Genesis 46-47 we read of Jacob’s journey down to Egypt, along with his household. God appears to Jacob to reassure him that this is the right thing to do, despite the problems that Abraham and Isaac experienced in Egypt. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation”.
God would continue to bless the household of Jacob as they grew into a great nation, despite being settled in Egypt, a country unfamiliar with God, a country that despised occupations such as shepherds.
There are a lot of similarities to our calling. We live in a spiritual Egypt, a place that isn’t familiar with God, that doesn’t understand the things that God’s children must do. But God has promised that He will watch over us and bless us, just as He did for Israel.
We can be confident that God is in control, as Psalm 50 describes. “The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting”. He wants to be involved in our lives, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”