Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends on this Labor Day weekend! I wonder what great plans you have made to make this a memorable weekend?
As we think back over our lives, for each of us there are moments which stand out as the most significant, life changing, pinnacle moments of our entire lifetime. This weekend, let’s look at one of the greatest of these moments in all human history. Yesterday I left you in Genesis 44 as Jacob’s 11 sons were prostrate on the floor expecting the Egyptian official standing before them to execute his judgment upon them. Instead, history was about to be made. Genesis 45 begins with this statement: “When Joseph could no longer contain himself, he cried out ‘have everyone leave my presence.’… And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him… Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.” (Gen. 45:1-3)
I doubt any of us can truly imagine what this moment was like. Nothing could have shocked Joseph’s brothers more, nothing. Stunned, I imagine they simply stared at him, unable to speak, hardly able to breathe. Have you ever had a moment when what you saw with your eyes and what you heard with your ears, your mind simply could not comprehend as true? It seemed too preposterous, too impossible to be true! I’ve had those more than once in my life, and they are unforgettable moments, life changing moments.
Since they were unable to move and hardly able to breathe, Joseph stepped toward his brothers and invited them to get up off their faces and come close to him. Slowly, cautiously, they did so, still unable to believe what they were experiencing. Then Joseph made a profound statement: “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, for it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing or reaping. But God has sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God!” (Gen. 45:4-9) If you like to mark in your Bible’s, I would urge you to circle that, or underline it. It is profound!
I assume Joseph stopped right there. It was too much. While the brothers had heard his words, I doubt they were able to fully comprehend or even absorb what was happening around them in this moment. Wave after wave of emotions swept over them… memories of his terrified young face as they had grabbed him as a young boy, ripped that brightly colored coat off of him and threw him down into a cistern. Memories of his desperate cries for help from that cistern, while they sat around eating their meal and making a plan to get rid of him permanently. Judah, the one who had spoken up on Benjamin’s behalf a few moments ago, offering himself to be a slave to the Egyptian official, was remembering that he was the one who suggested they sell Joseph as a slave to the approaching caravan rather than kill him. They all had memories of that fateful day more than 20 years ago! But Joseph’s memories were the most graphic, most terrifying, as he was tied like an animal and dragged away behind a camel heading for Egypt and a lifetime of slavery far from his family. Oh so much had happened in his life over the past 22 years!
Then Joseph continued, “Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me Lord over all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me, you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds and all that you have. I will provide for you here; because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’
You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I, Joseph, who am speaking to you. Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen, and bring my father here quickly.” (Gen. 45:9-13)
Put yourself there my friends, look around at their faces. Knowing what you know about them and their blended family and their fractured relationships, what do you FEEL is happening here, in this room with Joseph? I imagine they sat down on the floor, heads shaking, rubbing their chins, pulling their beards, looking at each other and then back at Joseph. It was simply too much to fully comprehend. Too many emotions to fully process. The record says: “Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept and Benjamin embraced Joseph weeping.” That lasted a long time, I presume. I doubt any of the other brothers were quite ready for an embrace quite yet. Too much shame from the past. Too much fear of what will happen when they tell their father the truth. Yet the record says “And Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept over them.” I think it means Joseph approached each of them cautiously, one after another, giving them the middle eastern man’s kiss of brotherly love and embracing them… Forgiveness poured out in abundance in that room that day!
Let’s just pause right here. My guess is you’ve never experienced a scene quite like this in your entire lifetime. But then again… maybe you have!? Think back over your life. When has forgiveness been so powerfully extended that lives were changed and torn relationships began to heal and rebuild, right in front of your eyes? Were you the person being forgiven or were you the person forgiving? What happened in your heart that day my friend? There are very few human actions more powerful than genuine forgiveness, isn’t that true?
So take a moment and thank God for the power of forgiveness. Why thank God? Because forgiveness is God’s idea! Almighty, Holy God is the One in whom all forgiveness begins! That’s why Jesus came to earth… to live a perfect life, explain God’s truth and love, and give His life as a sacrifice to pay for our sin, so God could extend forgiveness to us, because our sin price was paid by Jesus! Take some time right now and thank Jesus for earning your forgiveness whether you have trusted in Jesus or not… still He deserves your thanks for paying a sin debt you cannot pay! And thank Holy God for His willingness to forgive the sins of our evil, broken world, and the unreasonable price He was willing to pay by sending His Son to die in our place! And thank the Holy Spirit for His power enabling those who have been forgiven, to forgive those who have hurt them in life! Reflect on these two powerful verses today as we close…
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ, God forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32)
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)
Now I wonder what comes into your minds my friends, as you ponder forgiveness? Who comes into your mind as you think about forgiveness. The next few minutes could be very significant for you and me, as we take some time to talk with Jesus about forgiveness. Here’s a wonderful worship song to help us celebrate the power of forgiveness, that is found only in Jesus, poured out upon you and me, so we can forgive others…
Today’s Scripture is Genesis 45:1-15.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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