Genesis 45:1-13
Relax, Read and Reflect.
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn
1-2 Joseph couldn't hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, "Leave! Clear out—everyone leave!" So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn't help but hear him. The news was soon reported to Pharaoh's palace.
3 Joseph spoke to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" But his brothers couldn't say a word. They were speechless—they couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing.
4-8 "Come closer to me," Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. There has been a famine in the land now for two years; the famine will continue for five more years—neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn't you who sent me here but God. He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh, put me in charge of his personal affairs, and made me ruler of all Egypt.
9-11 "Hurry back to my father. Tell him, 'Your son Joseph says: I'm master of all of Egypt. Come as fast as you can and join me here. I'll give you a place to live in Goshen where you'll be close to me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and anything else you can think of. I'll take care of you there completely. There are still five more years of famine ahead; I'll make sure all your needs are taken care of, you and everyone connected with you—you won't want for a thing.'
12-13 "Look at me. You can see for yourselves, and my brother Benjamin can see for himself, that it's me, my own mouth, telling you all this. Tell my father all about the high position I hold in Egypt, tell him everything you've seen here, but don't take all day—hurry up and get my father down here."
Finally Joseph could take it no longer, he had to reach out to his brothers. After he revealed himself he wept in joy. He brothers were speechless. They had to have been scared to death. They had tried to do away with their brother, and now he literally controlled their lives. That had to be a sobering time.
Joseph did not hold a grudge,(as I would have.) He explained that God had used their actions as part of a greater plan, and now they would be safe because of what God had done. That is a very deep thought of God’s works. If we truly trust God, shouldn’t we trust that what ever happens, God is working?
Joseph wanted to see his father again. When he was a slave, or worse, a prisoner, he probably gave up hope of ever seeing his father. Now it was going to happen. No matter what happens, we should never give up hope that things will happen for good as well as bad.
Prayer- Lord, Keep us strong during times of testing and trial, and especially during times of good. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn
1-2 Joseph couldn't hold himself in any longer, keeping up a front before all his attendants. He cried out, "Leave! Clear out—everyone leave!" So there was no one with Joseph when he identified himself to his brothers. But his sobbing was so violent that the Egyptians couldn't help but hear him. The news was soon reported to Pharaoh's palace.
3 Joseph spoke to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?" But his brothers couldn't say a word. They were speechless—they couldn't believe what they were hearing and seeing.
4-8 "Come closer to me," Joseph said to his brothers. They came closer. "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behind it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives. There has been a famine in the land now for two years; the famine will continue for five more years—neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn't you who sent me here but God. He set me in place as a father to Pharaoh, put me in charge of his personal affairs, and made me ruler of all Egypt.
9-11 "Hurry back to my father. Tell him, 'Your son Joseph says: I'm master of all of Egypt. Come as fast as you can and join me here. I'll give you a place to live in Goshen where you'll be close to me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and anything else you can think of. I'll take care of you there completely. There are still five more years of famine ahead; I'll make sure all your needs are taken care of, you and everyone connected with you—you won't want for a thing.'
12-13 "Look at me. You can see for yourselves, and my brother Benjamin can see for himself, that it's me, my own mouth, telling you all this. Tell my father all about the high position I hold in Egypt, tell him everything you've seen here, but don't take all day—hurry up and get my father down here."
Finally Joseph could take it no longer, he had to reach out to his brothers. After he revealed himself he wept in joy. He brothers were speechless. They had to have been scared to death. They had tried to do away with their brother, and now he literally controlled their lives. That had to be a sobering time.
Joseph did not hold a grudge,(as I would have.) He explained that God had used their actions as part of a greater plan, and now they would be safe because of what God had done. That is a very deep thought of God’s works. If we truly trust God, shouldn’t we trust that what ever happens, God is working?
Joseph wanted to see his father again. When he was a slave, or worse, a prisoner, he probably gave up hope of ever seeing his father. Now it was going to happen. No matter what happens, we should never give up hope that things will happen for good as well as bad.
Prayer- Lord, Keep us strong during times of testing and trial, and especially during times of good. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
posted by Steve Killam TMTL | 4:56 PM
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