Genesis 45:1-15
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. Genesis 45:1-15 (NRSVUE)
Our lives, the relationships we cultivate, and the moments we have are not transactional. And yet, we often treat them as such. Our lives are more than what we do. Our relationships are more than what we gain from them. And the moments we have in our lives are more than the good ones we choose to remember. Let’s take a look at today’s snapshot of the life of Joseph from Genesis 45 and recap his life up to this point.
The story of Joseph is one filled with twists and turns. Slowly over the course of many chapters, we learn of the unexpected or sometimes expected life of Joseph. Joseph, much like his father Jacob, is a product of family drama. Joseph is Jacob’s most loved and favorite son. Jacob, someone who knew and lived out the consequences of being the favorite child of his own parent (mother). And yet, Jacob still chooses to love Joseph above the rest of his sons. From there Joseph is sold into slavery by his own brothers, finds favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, from prison to dreams, to finally having his brother back with him. And this time, Joseph has the power.
While Joseph does offer mercy and forgiveness to his brothers, ultimately seeking reconciliation, it doesn’t happen without drama. Joseph tricked and manipulated his brothers prior to revealing who he was to them, almost as a show of who had the power now.
And yet, reconciliation still occurs. By the Grace of God, we are forgiven and we are freed up well before we even know it.
- We don’t have to earn our forgiveness or mercy, but we often try.
- We don’t have to seek revenge when we are wronged, but sometimes we do.
- We don’t have to gain more from a relationship than we put in, but we often feel that way.
By the Grace of God, we are called to see our lives and the relationships we have as a gift from God.
Questions for Reflection:
- How might you treat relationships as transactional?
- Where have you felt and sensed the Grace of God in your life?
Prayer:
God of forgiven and Grace,
Help me with _________. Thanks for _________. Wow for _________.
Amen.
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