Joseph Reunited with his Father

Genesis 45:1-46:7

OH how wonderful! How glorious! This is what Joseph says:

"I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God."

 Could we say the same? Certainly we should be able to for look at the joy of Joseph, look at the wonderful miracle God works in this situation. Joseph and his brothers surely can see the hand of God-and their relationship to Him and to each other through this response.

We don't know how much the Brother's tell their father when they tell him "all that Joseph has said," but poor Israel is in shock, and no wonder at that, it has been a long time with his son gone and he may have forgotten God's presence in his life.

What generosity when God tells Israel: "Jacob, Jacob...I am God, the God of your father, do not be afraid to go down to Egypt for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes."

I could weep just like Joseph. What shall I do in response to this? What does it tell me about God? All this time, God was in the midst of them; He waits until they notice Him. Never does he force himself on Joseph's brothers but they come to realize the sin is too great a burden to bear and they have to let it go, they must turn away from it, and when they do, they see the hand of God at work in their lives. Praise God!

I shall cling to that promise: "I myself will go down with you, and I will bring you up again." Do not be afraid.

See you tomorrow.

-maggie