Genesis 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved or angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
What awesome insight and forgiving spirit Friends! Like the chicken and the egg, which came first? Did the realization of God’s long range plan engender the forgiveness? Or did the forgiving spirit make him aware of God’s plan? However it happened, Judah’s last minute appeal told Joseph it was time. His emotions were so overwhelmed that he sent everybody away except his brothers. ‘And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.’ (vs.2) Who says that grown men don’t cry eh? (smile) Probably not often, but when they do, it’s usually heartrending and really sorrowful. Then Joseph enlightened them: ‘I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled in his presence.’ (vs.3) That’s putting it mildly. They possibly considered him dead, or languishing somewhere in pitiful slavery, and to suddenly discover he held their crummy lives in his palms, would jolt their systems. Joseph must have seen the shocked look on their faces and felt the concurrent fear racing through their hearts, as they thought he was about to exact his revenge. But Friends, true believers don’t take petty revenge, although selling their brother into slavery was worthy of great retribution. And such was the elevated state of Joseph’s heart and mind, solidly grounded in the God of his father, through years of misfortune and hard-earned wisdom, that he called his brothers closer to him, and graciously exonerated them of their crime, saying: ‘I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved or angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.’ Oh Friends, what incredible compassion and forgiveness Joseph showed there. Many of us would have adamantly demanded our pound of flesh, but that’s the Lord’s department, and Joseph realized God had exalted him for a greater purpose; to be a living example of His grace and mercy, to extol His Holy Name and draw unbelievers to Him. Joseph patiently explained that there was yet five years of famine to come, ‘And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.’ (vs.6-7) What godly reasoning people! Although they committed a heinous crime, Joseph seeks to allay their guilt and fear by calling it God’s Divine plan, which it was, though it doesn’t excuse their wrong. Anyway, Joseph tells them to hurry, go home and get their families and belongings and come back down to Egypt and dwell in the land of Goshen, near to him.’And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt.’ (vs.13) Then they all hugged and kissed and made up. Oh Friends, it’s so wonderful when families reunite! But when I see how families behave ‘unfamily-like’ nowadays, it strikes a discordant note in my heart. The family is the smallest and most important unit of any society, and if they ill-treat each other, what’s to be expected of strangers eh? Sadly, the family’s importance today has deteriorated. It no longer comes first, a big reason for our society’s ongoing demise. The place where proper ‘groundings’ and guidance should be instilled, is itself being dismantled by the busyness of society. It’s become a vicious circle: Families no longer interact like before; seldom eat, play or pray together, which leads to no manners, prayers, discipline or consideration for others, just pure selfishness, while the news-media, not the Bible, dictates their lifestyle. But people, once there’s life, there’s yet Hope. To turn it around though, we need a concerted effort from all of us. Friends, we have to. Imagine what kind of world our great grand children will inhabit if we don’t restore morals, discipline, manners and above all, prayer and faith in the Most High God? Not a very pleasant one. It starts with us Friends. If we truly care, then let’s start regaining control. We can do it if we really try. Much LOVE!…the first step…is always the hardest…
What awesome insight and forgiving spirit Friends! Like the chicken and the egg, which came first? Did the realization of God’s long range plan engender the forgiveness? Or did the forgiving spirit make him aware of God’s plan? However it happened, Judah’s last minute appeal told Joseph it was time. His emotions were so overwhelmed that he sent everybody away except his brothers. ‘And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.’ (vs.2) Who says that grown men don’t cry eh? (smile) Probably not often, but when they do, it’s usually heartrending and really sorrowful. Then Joseph enlightened them: ‘I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled in his presence.’ (vs.3) That’s putting it mildly. They possibly considered him dead, or languishing somewhere in pitiful slavery, and to suddenly discover he held their crummy lives in his palms, would jolt their systems. Joseph must have seen the shocked look on their faces and felt the concurrent fear racing through their hearts, as they thought he was about to exact his revenge. But Friends, true believers don’t take petty revenge, although selling their brother into slavery was worthy of great retribution. And such was the elevated state of Joseph’s heart and mind, solidly grounded in the God of his father, through years of misfortune and hard-earned wisdom, that he called his brothers closer to him, and graciously exonerated them of their crime, saying: ‘I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved or angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.’ Oh Friends, what incredible compassion and forgiveness Joseph showed there. Many of us would have adamantly demanded our pound of flesh, but that’s the Lord’s department, and Joseph realized God had exalted him for a greater purpose; to be a living example of His grace and mercy, to extol His Holy Name and draw unbelievers to Him. Joseph patiently explained that there was yet five years of famine to come, ‘And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.’ (vs.6-7) What godly reasoning people! Although they committed a heinous crime, Joseph seeks to allay their guilt and fear by calling it God’s Divine plan, which it was, though it doesn’t excuse their wrong. Anyway, Joseph tells them to hurry, go home and get their families and belongings and come back down to Egypt and dwell in the land of Goshen, near to him.’And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt.’ (vs.13) Then they all hugged and kissed and made up. Oh Friends, it’s so wonderful when families reunite! But when I see how families behave ‘unfamily-like’ nowadays, it strikes a discordant note in my heart. The family is the smallest and most important unit of any society, and if they ill-treat each other, what’s to be expected of strangers eh? Sadly, the family’s importance today has deteriorated. It no longer comes first, a big reason for our society’s ongoing demise. The place where proper ‘groundings’ and guidance should be instilled, is itself being dismantled by the busyness of society. It’s become a vicious circle: Families no longer interact like before; seldom eat, play or pray together, which leads to no manners, prayers, discipline or consideration for others, just pure selfishness, while the news-media, not the Bible, dictates their lifestyle. But people, once there’s life, there’s yet Hope. To turn it around though, we need a concerted effort from all of us. Friends, we have to. Imagine what kind of world our great grand children will inhabit if we don’t restore morals, discipline, manners and above all, prayer and faith in the Most High God? Not a very pleasant one. It starts with us Friends. If we truly care, then let’s start regaining control. We can do it if we really try. Much LOVE!…the first step…is always the hardest…
SCRIP-BITS 