PODCAST
A Beautiful Panorama
November 27th, 2021
Genesis 50:12-21
Joseph had already forgiven his brothers for their efforts to kill him. He wept when they reconciled. They buried their father together as a family. There was just one problem: the brothers could not forgive themselves. They knew how evil their thoughts and intentions had been. They could not believe they could be forgiven.
Maybe they had not admitted to themselves the extent of their guilt. When Joseph was young, they plotted to save their inheritance. Now that Joseph was a powerful ruler, they plotted to save their lives. Sending a note to Joseph with their father’s instructions, they begged for forgiveness. Joseph’s heart was broken that they still did not believe he was sincere in his forgiveness for them. He wept.
We have no way of knowing if the note his brothers sent was really from their father, but we do know that Joseph saw a bigger picture. God didn’t cause the harm, but God used it to save the future of Israel. Joseph forgave his brothers freely. We are called to forgive freely as well, knowing God is making all things beautiful in His time.
Author: Carol Rittenhouse
November 27th, 2021 at 8:09 am
Joseph made a choice. What a beautiful example he is of choosing to extend grace to his brothers!
November 27th, 2021 at 8:55 am
My favorite part of this scripture passage is when they throw themselves down before him to ask for forgiveness and he asks them, “Am I in the place of God?” In other words, he was telling them it wasn’t his place to judge them. That’s what we need to remember when someone does us wrong. Grace and mercy! Beautiful!