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- Oct 26, 2007
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So he sent his brothers away, and they departed, and he said to them, See that you do not disagree (get excited, quarrel) along the road. Genesis 45:24 AMPC
You can imagine the emotions Joseph’s brothers may have felt when he told them who he was—sorrow, shame, defensiveness, and fear. They never expected to see him again. They never expected him to be a ruler. They didn’t expect him to be kind.
Joseph said, “Do not be distressed and disheartened or vexed and angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5 AMPC).
Joseph didn’t sidestep what happened. He spoke boldly of how God could take their bad plans and offer mercy to the bad plan makers. When Joseph told his brothers not to quarrel when they returned home, he probably knew that someone would be tempted to play the blame game. But there was better news to share.
Joseph was put in the right place at the right time to offer the right outcome to a very bad situation—a God—directed outcome.
The struggle you work through today could impact the life of someone else tomorrow. Your struggle may help someone else. Your life experience might be just what someone needs to work through his own issues.
Prayer: God, I don’t want to ignore injustice, but I want to embrace mercy and forgiveness. Yes, for me, but also for those I’ve considered enemies.
You can imagine the emotions Joseph’s brothers may have felt when he told them who he was—sorrow, shame, defensiveness, and fear. They never expected to see him again. They never expected him to be a ruler. They didn’t expect him to be kind.
Joseph said, “Do not be distressed and disheartened or vexed and angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5 AMPC).
Joseph didn’t sidestep what happened. He spoke boldly of how God could take their bad plans and offer mercy to the bad plan makers. When Joseph told his brothers not to quarrel when they returned home, he probably knew that someone would be tempted to play the blame game. But there was better news to share.
Joseph was put in the right place at the right time to offer the right outcome to a very bad situation—a God—directed outcome.
The struggle you work through today could impact the life of someone else tomorrow. Your struggle may help someone else. Your life experience might be just what someone needs to work through his own issues.
Prayer: God, I don’t want to ignore injustice, but I want to embrace mercy and forgiveness. Yes, for me, but also for those I’ve considered enemies.
