Keep up all the great comments!
Genesis Chapter 43.
It says the brothers were astonished. It must have felt weird to them to have a man, Joseph, who they feared, to see him treating them so well and asking about their father and if he's still alive. Plus the steward saying don't be afraid God put the silver in the sacks. Plus they washed their feet with the water given to them. Their donkeys were taken care of. And they got to eat with Joseph the man second-in-command. But the one thing that stuck out to me was the steward who gave a spiritual answer. Why? I feel it was because of Joseph’s influence upon him and even upon the others around him. Joseph must have lived out his faith so that the steward just naturally would say don't be afraid. God put the silver in the sacks.
Wherever God puts me, I want to serve him in such a way that it influences others to want to serve him.
The famine was severe and Jacob finally and reluctantly agrees to send Benjamin along with his brothers to Egypt. How many times am I like Jacob and stubbornly want things to be my own way instead of trusting God’s way for my life? Even when Jacob finally realizes that he has to let Benjamin go so that they all won’t starve to death, he said, “If it must be so, then do this…” It seems to me like even when he had to give in, he was still trying to call the shots in some way somehow. I need to remember that I am just clay in the hands of God as the Potter. It’s not the other way around.
Here’s the link for today’s parody, It’s All In God’s Control.
https://youtu.be/CLQ9vRWOneg
I am impressed this morning by the grace that Joseph shows his brother – a picture of Jesus, preparing a place for us, forgiving us, rejoicing with us. And the money returned in the sacks, reminds me of our tithing. We get back far more than we ever give. We know we can’t out give God.
My focus is on broken families starting to slowly heal:
He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?”
There’s no Facebook , Joseph just wanted to know about his dad. it’s tough when a child and father are separated.
29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son,
Can you even imagine the emotion seeing you brother?!?? Overwhelming joy.
Joseph has been so strong throughout his life. When I read he saw Benjamin and had to leave the room and wept, it made my heart hurt thinking about the sadness he felt for the time he had missed with his brother. It’s a reminder to me to cherish every moment I have with my loved ones and not take them for granted.