Saturday after the Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 6, 2021 by under
Scripture: Genesis 50:15-23 (NKJV)
50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
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.
22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. 23 Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees.
Devotion
We are told in this text that Joseph wept when his brothers told the story of their father supposedly voicing concern about Joseph seeking revenge for their previous treachery. They threw themselves to the ground before him. One might suppose that Joseph was saddened by the thought that his brothers might be falsely implicating their father in their story. Or that he may have regretted his failure to reassure them sooner that he had already forgiven them. Regardless of the answer to these possible thoughts, the text does give us insight into the fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams during his youth that revealed the brothers all bowing before him.
It is worth noting that in his youth he saw the dream as showing his glory and power over his older siblings, but in his maturity of spirit, brought about by a life of walking humbly with his God, he came to see it as a humbling experience and a reason for quiet contemplation. Such is possible for all the faithful, for years of life and experiences of hardship, coupled with God’s graciousness along the way, often create godly insight in the humbled faithful.
Prayer: O God, our Refuge and Strength, Who art the Author of all godliness: Be ready, we beseech Thee, to hear the devout prayers of Thy Church; and grant that those things which we ask faithfully, we may obtain effectually; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
