of reunions and forgiveness
“18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”
~Genesis 50:18-21
The story of Joseph is of such beauty that I cannot find the right words to describe how his beginnings and ending seemingly depict and cast a semblance to what we experience today. Profound lessons can be gleaned from the family dysfunctionality, complexity, and unique interwoven life situations and interactions possibly due the diversity of their family background (children from different mothers). Hence I have decided to dedicate a separate in-depth study on Joseph’s life which I will post in the next few weeks.
This reflection is a summary of the thoughts I had for Genesis chapters 40 – 50.
The last chapters of Genesis revealed the grand plan of God to preserve His chosen people, provide for their needs and restore broken relationships.
The seed of evil that briefly resided in the hearts of Joseph’s siblings ended and the good prevailed. Although it took famine to bring them to their knees, but when confronted with their sinfulness, they humbled themselves.
In our life's journey, God will allow us to experience physical hunger so we will hunger for Him. Like Joseph, God will let us go through separation from loved ones, betrayal from family, isolation and loneliness so we will discover the bigger and better plans He has laid out for us.
This dungeon of isolation and reflection could simply be a waiting room. Our joys maybe temporarily extinguished, then replaced by bitter and sad experiences. We sit waiting in the dungeon rejected, and forgotten by people who mean a lot to us but never forsaken by God. Joseph never stopped trusting God and surely, God took him out from his prison cell and He finished the work He has planned for Joseph's life.
Joseph used his waiting room as an opportunity to meditate upon the goodness of God, to point people to the God he served, the God of the impossible who can interpret dreams and do even more. For Joseph, it was a chance to look upon the needs of others instead of mulling over his own difficulties and challenges and in so doing, magnify and glorify the name of God.
We, too have our waiting rooms. It’s the place where we take a long pause or God, himself, will halt us from whatever things, commitments, or undertakings we have right now and reflect. It’s a spot where God allows us to be taken out from our comfort zone, and puts us in a crucible that almost burns us to our core. Our waiting room can be corners where we don’t know where the entrance is or exit. But God will not let us stay there forever. In due time, we will be transported to God's living room where we will experience His presence in the company of those we love, our long-lost loved ones and friends; even the ones who hurt us before.
How sweet was the reunion of Joseph with his siblings when everyone realized how their misdeeds led them to humility, remorse, self-forgiveness and most of all, being forgiven. Hearing from the lips of the one they erred, in Genesis 50:20, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
God's promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to multiply like the sands of the sea and the stars of the skies will surely be accomplished.
The poignant scenes of the patriarch, Israel, blessing his grandchildren must have filled Joseph with nostalgia and regret over the lost moments when the family could have been together for a much longer time. Leaving behind the legacy of dependence on God and His providence, forgiveness and unity of purpose, meant not just for the present but for future generations make me think that those are exactly the ingredients of having a peaceful departure from our earthly sojourn, such as what Israel had. Physical death though truly difficult to accept will just become a temporary absence because the teaching, and guidance remain fresh for ages.
Thus Joseph's life was such that he became reunited with his family and loved ones in Egypt; the different path God wanted Joseph to take that led to a blissful and blessed outcome not just for him but even for those around him. All their sad and bad experiences in the past would eventually blur to oblivion and their tears wiped dry. Isn’t this just like what God promised for us when Jesus comes again and we get reunited in the earth made new?
Happiness eternal, with each tomorrow as beautiful as today and yesterday! Enough with our regrets, our disappointments and misgivings; God will make all things new.
Amen, Lord Jesus. Your way is the best way, no matter how rough the journey was.
#forgiveness #familyisthebest #blessedreunion