Day 4 of 90 Devotion

Dearest e-votees-

Day four of our cover to cover voyage through the Bible. Genesis is done; only 65 more books to go. If you care to follow along you can find links to the assigned Bible passages at:

www.christthegoodshep.org/biblein90days.html

Peace,
Karl

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Day 4 Readings: Genesis 40:12-50:26

In the aftermath of the horrible dealings with their brother Joseph, Jacob’s other sons experience God’s gracious provision:

• They are received graciously by Joseph (with some chicanery as well, after all Joseph is his father’s son)
• They are restored into family even though they cruelly abandoned Joseph (to a cistern and then to slave traders)
• They are given opportunities to practice self-sacrifice and honor in place of their earlier self-serving cowardice
• They are given land for their families and blessings from their father Jacob

We can treat our brothers and sisters (those created in God’s image) just as cruelly as did Joseph’s brothers. We can take from them what is not ours. We can discard them when their perceived usefulness is spent. We can misrepresent their stories. We can leave them for as good as dead in a cistern or in the hands of foreign slave traders or affixed to a cross.

Yet God is not done writing the story. Joseph forgives and restores.

Yet the author of life adds to the dialogue with “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” Jesus forgives and restores.

Perhaps we are part of such a story. We have been treated unjustly. We have been stripped of our dignity or our possessions or our will to live. Perhaps we have been left on some trash heap to breathe our last. Yet God is not done with our stories. We have been called into eternal life which begins now. We are forgiven. We are restored. We are invited to step into the role of Joseph and be gracious to those who would work us harm. We are invited to emulate our Lord and pray for those who behave as our enemies. God would use us as agents of forgiveness and restoration.


God, you have elevated us to places of honor as you did with Joseph. You have called us to take up our cross as you did with Jesus. Your will is that we would be forgiven and restored. Your will is that we would forgive and restore others who are just as needy as we. Help us to abide in your will. Amen.