Eyes to See God

1Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

3Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.^a

8“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. 9Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. 10You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’ (Genesis 45)

Thoughts: The key verse of teaching here is verse 8- "so then it was not you who sent me here but God."  Joseph saw God's salvation more clearer than his brothers' sin.  The amazing thing is that his brothers' sin was more personal for him than his being in a place to save his brothers.  Joseph allowed his purpose to overcome his pain.  This is a good lesson for all of us.  Joseph had eyes of faith that could see God working despite pain.  For some, there is no meaning at all- or pain is always appearing greater than good.  The eyes of faith overcome evil with hope and purpose. 

Prayer: Lord, give me eyes of faith that see you at work in my life.  

10/31- Forgiving the Unthinkable

10/31- Friday Genesis 45:5-15 5“Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6“For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7“God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8“Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9“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. 10“You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. 11“There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.”’ 12“Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. 13“Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” 14Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. 15He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

Bonhoeffer: “Our brother breaks the circle of self-deception.  A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself; he experiences the presence of God in the reality of the other person…In the presence of a brother the sin has to be brought into the light.

Thoughts: Joseph brought back the sin of his brothers.  He did not ignore it.  The mere mention that “You sold me here” (vs. 5) is a reminder that they had sold their brother as a slave.  But God is able to turn evil into good.  But turning evil into good is not complete unless there is also forgiveness.  It is not that the wrong done against their brother didn’t matter.   It is that God can turn evil into blessing and salvation.  When we admit our sin in the presence of our brother/sister we are allowing blessing to be given in the face of wrong.  When we forgive our brother or sister who would sell us away or get rid of us- then we are the ones who are a blessing- as Joseph was to his brothers.

Prayer: Lord, turn the evil once more into good- as you did the cross into the resurrection.  Give me grace to forgive the evil and to be made whole.   

Extra Thoughts: On this Halloween Day- The brothers thought they had seen a ghost when Joseph revealed himself to them.  They thought he was dead and gone.  Joseph was not one to haunt them, but one who saw this as an opportunity to help them and forgive them.  This was grace spurred by faith in a gracious God who Joseph knew rescued him time and again.