Joseph had forgiven his brothers, he had given them the best
of the land in Egypt and had settled them with jobs as well, but the brothers
still were not satisfied. They thought
to themselves as long as Jacob is alive we are not safe.
The bible says in Genesis 50:15-21, that as soon as Jacob
died and they came back to Goshen after burying their father, the brothers met
and they started plotting, ‘how will we get Joseph to not harm us?’ I am guessing if Joseph had been 17 again and
powerless, they would have sold him again. But because they knew power had
exchanged hands and they were now powerless, they used deception instead. They sent a message to Joseph, Genesis
50:16-17 ‘your father left these instructions before he died..........forgive
your brothers.....’ When the message reached Joseph he cried again.
Were the brothers so used to mischief and causing pain to
others that the thought of someone forgiving them was inconceivable? Or was it
that because they sought revenge no matter what, they expected Joseph to do
same? I mean these were people who
killed all the men in one city because their prince raped their sister and
dared to want her for a wife!
But Joseph showed the ultimate in all, forgiveness through
love. He told them, what they meant for
harm, God purposed it for good. It was
the Lord who allowed it, so Jacob and his
seed would be preserved. Joseph said,
they helped him accomplish his purpose.
What more can I add to this?
God has a way of using situations including siblings to bring out the
best in us for his plans ahead. At the
time that we were being hurt we would not like it and we would be afraid.
I keep wondering how Joseph might have felt being a teenager who was sheltered and loved the most at home, now sold to strangers and shackled into slavery by his own brothers.
That Joseph did not come out a bitter, angry man shows what God can do to a life that is yielded to him. Joseph had two standards in life. God's standard and all other standards and he purposed in his heart to measure his life by God's standard.
I keep wondering how Joseph might have felt being a teenager who was sheltered and loved the most at home, now sold to strangers and shackled into slavery by his own brothers.
That Joseph did not come out a bitter, angry man shows what God can do to a life that is yielded to him. Joseph had two standards in life. God's standard and all other standards and he purposed in his heart to measure his life by God's standard.
Let us follow Joseph's example, let us love and forgive our families
and siblings especially; for the pain they cause us, for who knows what God can
do with us if we let go and let God be in control like Joseph did.
But if you are like the brothers of Joseph then I hope that
you will learn to forgive yourself and know that no matter what, you can still
tap into God’s blessings and plans for yourself like Judah did. So come back
tomorrow for I have a word for you too.
WHAT IS NEXT?
