I'll Take You Back!

SCRIPTURE

Genesis 45:1-15 (NRSV)

Joseph provides food

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Send everyone away from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come closer to me." And they came closer. He said, "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 five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 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; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there - since there are five more years of famine to come - so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.' And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here." Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.


DEVOTION

I find it interesting that the subtitle to today’s scripture reading is “Joseph provides food.” I find this incredibly ironic because I think that food is the least of what he provided to his brothers.

If I had the opportunity to subtitle this portion of scripture I would call it “Joseph provides forgiveness” or “Joseph provides love.”

In either case I think it is a more accurate description of Joseph’s generosity to his brothers. I am constantly amazed by Joseph’s loving and forgiving reception of his brothers when they returned to Egypt dragging their baby brother Benjamin and begging, borrowing, and bartering for food.

Let us not forget that they had visited the utmost of treachery on Joseph as a result of their jealous and hateful spirits. They had sold him into slavery to die as far as they knew. They had allowed their father to grieve almost to death in Joseph’s absence and they had carried their secret for years knowing the evil of what they had done.

But, in that moment when they stood before Joseph looking so pitiful, Joseph had to make a decision. He could give them what they deserved and send them home empty handed to die; or, he could give them WHAT THEY DID NOT DESERVE and extend to them love, forgiveness, and salvation—in the form of food, water, and shelter in Goshen.

Joseph chose to be like God offering love, forgiveness, mercy and grace. He even went so far as to absolve his brothers’ sin by saying, “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…”

WOW! What amazing words! What Satan and his brothers meant for evil, God used for good! Isn’t it amazing how God is able to make a way out of no way?!

Indeed, Joseph’s story is good news! But, there is even greater news in the love and forgiveness that God offers to us in Christ Jesus. Because God loves us so much God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life. And because God is so powerful, Jesus did not stay dead, but rose again on the third day, just as He promised!

Hallelujah! Because God is so loving and forgiving we are not given what we deserve, rather we are given WHAT WE DO NOT DESERVE in the form of grace and mercy that looks beyond our faults and sees our needs!

Is there someone in your life who has hurt or betrayed you with their hateful, spiteful, or jealous behavior? If so, today God is inviting you to follow the example of Joseph and Jesus!

Won’t you forgive them today in Jesus Name? If so, please pray with me. (Please insert the name of the person you are forgiving where you see a blank line.)

God I have been hurt and betrayed so many times by people that should have loved me well. I have carried this hurt inside of me and it is eating me up! Today, I choose to forgive ____ in Jesus’ Name! Just as you have granted me the love and forgiveness that I do not deserve, I grant ____ love and forgiveness too. I love you and I want to be set free to share your love with others. I pray this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.




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