"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity" ( Proverbs 17:17).

Jacob had a son born to him in old age whom he showered with love to a point of irritating his elder brothers ( Genesis 37). The brothers seethed. One day when Jacob sent Joseph to look up them in the field with a snack two things happened.

On seeing him approach a murder plot was muted by the envious brothers. However, one, Reuben, waved them off. For, "When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.“Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father" ( Genesis 37:21-22).

So, the brothers seized Joseph and threw him in a cistern. But it appears the murder plot was still on. For when a stranger passed by, Judah who was not in it all the way urged, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother ,our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed ( vv 26-27). This was Joseph's lucky break.

What we see here is that Joseph's life was saved because there were two people ready to stand up for him, in some way. This is true for every life. We need someone who is ready to stand up and put in a word for us - even in our absence. May we pray to have such Reubens and Judah's there for us in a time of need. For such God can bring them up and give them courage to speak in our favour, even when not around, to our profit.

Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray that you sarround me with such brothers ready and up to defend me even where I am down, all to your glory, this I pray in Jesus's name.