ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 16 - Genesis 43-45 (Forgiveness)
“Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 45:3-8)
In fulfillment of his dream back when he was living with his family, Joseph’s brothers are now in submission before him. Due to the severe famine throughout all the land, the sons of Jacob were forced to go to Egypt to buy food for the second time. The first time, Joseph detained Simeon to make sure they bring back Benjamin with them when they return. Now in our text for today, with Benjamin with them and unable to bear his emotions any longer, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers.
Joseph’s brothers, no doubt, were hardly able to believe their eyes and ears as Joseph tells them that it is he their brother whom they have sold as a slave and is now Prime Minister of Egypt and that it was God’s own doing that everything happened as it did in order to preserve their family and that all is forgiven.
Speaking for myself, I know how difficult it is to forgive someone who has wronged me and I cannot imagine how I can forgive a person who had tried to kill me. I am sure that Joseph also struggled with the same emotions of anger and revenge toward his brothers for trying to kill him and for selling him as a slave but he was able to forgive them because he took the higher ground of seeing things from God’s perspective. Joseph understood that it was God who allowed the tragedies in his life in order to bring about his own good as well as the good of his family.
Are you struggling with bitterness and an unforgiving heart towards others? Why not follow the example of Joseph and decide right now to take the higher ground and look at the trials of your life from God’s point of view? It will not only free you from the bondage brought about by unforgiveness; it will may also restore your severed relationship with those who may have wronged you just as Joseph’s relationship with his brothers was restored as a result of his decision to forgive.
No comments:
Post a Comment