Daily Devotional (GPS)
Forgiveness Triumphs, Family Restored
Daily Scripture
Genesis 45:1-15
1 Joseph could no longer control himself in front of all his attendants, so he declared, “Everyone, leave now!” So no one stayed with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers. 2 He wept so loudly that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s household heard him. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m Joseph! Is my father really still alive?” His brothers couldn’t respond because they were terrified before him.
4 Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me,” and they moved closer. He said, “I’m your brother Joseph! The one you sold to Egypt. 5 Now, don’t be upset and don’t be angry with yourselves that you sold me here. Actually, God sent me before you to save lives. 6 We’ve already had two years of famine in the land, and there are five years left without planting or harvesting. 7 God sent me before you to make sure you’d survive and to rescue your lives in this amazing way. 8 You didn’t send me here; it was God who made me a father to Pharaoh, master of his entire household, and ruler of the whole land of Egypt.
9 “Hurry! Go back to your father. Tell him this is what your son Joseph says: ‘God has made me master of all of Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t delay. 10 You may live in the land of Goshen, so you will be near me, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and everyone with you. 11 I will support you there, so you, your household, and everyone with you won’t starve, since the famine will still last five years.’ 12 You and my brother Benjamin have seen with your own eyes that I’m speaking to you. 13 Tell my father about my power in Egypt and about everything you’ve seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 He threw his arms around his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. 15 He kissed all of his brothers and wept, embracing them. After that, his brothers were finally able to talk to him.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
More quick summary: Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food during the famine. They didn’t recognize Joseph (of course). He tested them, making Simeon a hostage, planting money in their bags, insisting they bring Benjamin, and putting his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack to see if they would abandon their youngest brother as they had abandoned him. * When this “Egyptian” officer said he was their brother Joseph, “his brothers couldn’t respond because they were terrified before him.” But Joseph didn’t seek revenge. He aimed to reunite his family with grace and generosity.
- We know Israel’s understanding of God changed over time. It’s quite possible that Joseph and the writer(s) of Genesis believed that since God causes everything, God made Joseph’s brothers sell him to the traders. At Resurrection we don’t believe God causes bad things to happen. (Why not? Passages like John 9:2-3, James 1:13). In what ways did Joseph’s story bear witness to God’s ability to use even bad actions (which God did not cause) to achieve good ends?
- Reuniting with his brothers was not just a happy family picnic. We read that Joseph wept. Pastor Hamilton wrote of life’s big hurts, “This kind of wound does not disappear after a day. I picture the boulder being chipped away, a little at a time.” ** What role does openly expressing sorrow play in the process of forgiving, or receiving forgiveness from a person you’ve hurt? How can repressing sorrow or regret block reconciliation?
Prayer
Merciful, forgiving God, how powerfully Joseph exemplified your kingdom’s spirit in the way he treated his brothers. Keep growing in me a capacity to embody and act out your mercy. Amen.
GPS Insights
Lauren Cook
Lauren Cook, who serves as Director of Online Engagement & Entry Points at Resurrection, wrote today’s Insight. She is a self-proclaimed foodie, a bookworm, and is always planning her next trip. She has the sweetest (and sassiest) daughter, Carolina Rae, a rockstar husband, Austin, and a cutie pup named Thunder. She loves connecting with others so let her know the best place you've ever eaten, best book you've ever read, or best place you've ever been!
Friends, one of God’s greatest gifts to us are our families but also, our families might also be one of our greatest challenges. Your siblings may not have sold you into slavery like Joseph’s brothers did, but you may have family members who have inflicted significant wounds.
I have a bit of a wonky family, and we have grandparents, sons and daughters, aunts, uncles, and cousins on each side of my family who do not speak to one another (like, at all). On each side, the impetus for these divisions is different—different hurts, different disagreements, yet the same end. People who once held such love for one another now hold such pain and the chasms have become so wide that no one knows how to bridge the gap.
As I’ve watched these relationships deteriorate over the years, I have felt all the feelings. I’ve been sad—I’ve missed the relationships that I once treasured. I’ve been angry—not understanding how we have gotten to where we are and wanting to place blame. I’ve been hurt—for myself and for others in my family, knowing that we are all hurting.
And that’s really the thing, isn’t it? When we hold on to resentments, past wounds, and anger—no one is winning. Sometimes, the weight is heavier because it feels like the other person has moved on and is happy and completely void of any of the pain you’re still feeling from a situation. Joseph and his brothers all probably felt that way: Joseph was leading all of Egypt and had done pretty well, and his brothers let their own anger fuel them to move on pretty easily, too. And yet, we know. We know that when someone we love has hurt us deeply (or we have hurt someone we love), especially if it seems intentional, we all carry that hurt with us. And just like in my family, and in Joseph’s family, we can find ourselves unsure of how things will ever get better.
Sometimes, one side finds themselves ready to bridge the gap and we receive an apology or take part in true reconciliation, like Joseph and his brothers. Sometimes, we don’t. And when we don’t, we can feel like God is absent in our situation, turning a blind eye to our pain. Here at Resurrection, we know that is never the case. God is present, active, and incredibly compassionate—but He also gave us free will. He can’t make us (or others) do things, but He can bring good from the choices humans make.
I’ll be honest with you: In my own family, I haven’t yet been able to pinpoint the good that God is working on. Yet, I have faith. I also know that the good thing might just be me. If I can let go, if I can offer forgiveness, maybe that will be the first step in building the bridge that we all need. Where might you be the good today? Where might you be able to go first? What can you forgive or let go of that will help chip away that pain you’ve held onto for so long? What first step might build your bridge? That doesn’t mean someone else wins, it means we all have the potential to win together.
What is the GPS?
Resurrection offers a free tool for those who wish to read the Bible daily. Our Grow/Pray/Study guide (GPS) provides a Bible reading, Scripture reflections based on the passage, inspirational quotes from leading Bible scholars, questions to help readers apply the Bible to their faith journey, and a daily prayer guide at the end of each day’s reflection. Many readers have told us the GPS has strengthened their spiritual growth and helped them better understand how to let the Bible guide them in Christian living.
