Today in God’s Word

Today in God's Word—December 2024

East Tallassee Church of Christ

December 1, Genesis 45

And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. - Genesis 45:3

Does your family still get together for family reunions? One of my dad's sisters insisted on her six siblings and their families coming together twice a year for many years when I was growing up. She delighted in having all her brothers and sisters together. We kids endured the smothering hugs from aunts, perfumed with powder that smelled like dead flowers. But we enjoyed seeing our cousins, eating lots of great desserts and getting into mischief while the adults wasted the day sitting around talking.

Aunt Jean and almost all Dad’s family are gone now. Like many families, our reunions are a rare and disappearing phenomenon. A few years ago, some of my cousins on my mom’s side of the family staged a cousin’s reunion. It was great fun. My cousins were looking older. We all said we should do this again, but we haven’t. I know it’s not just our family because I officiate at many funerals, and listen to many families. Too many say things like, "Seems like the only time we ever see each other or get together these days is at a funeral." That's sad. Most everyone is busy, but families still need to know one another and be together occasionally.

There’s quite a family reunion in chapter 45. Joseph and his brothers had seen one another in the year or so that had passed since the brothers' first visit. Joseph recognized them, but the brothers didn't realize they had seen and talked to their long lost brother. Joseph tested them to see if they had changed. When they passed the test, he revealed his true identity. He told them about his plan to save the family from the famine that was just getting started. He also taught them about God's design in the whole ugly set of circumstances and events that had separated them for the past 22 years.

Jospeh demanded privacy to be alone with his brothers for the emotional reunion. His Egyptian staff went out of the room, but the release of all the tension and their joyful weeping was loud enough to be overheard. News traveled fast in Pharaoh's household, and soon Pharaoh sent words of welcome, insisting that the whole family come to Egypt for the duration of the famine. He was not just being polite. He backed his words with wagons and whatever provisions the family might need to move to Egypt. Jospeh had saved the Egyptians from starvation, and Pharaoh knew it. No kindness was too great to extend to Joseph's own family.

As you might imagine, the brothers were speechless when Joseph told them who he really was. They had filed Joseph under “dead.” They wanted to forget what they had done to him, but they couldn’t forget. Guilt had hounded them for two decades, compounded by the sad effect of their cruelty and lies on their father. But after Joseph's revelation and Pharaoh's invitation, they went back to Canaan and told their father all that had happened. His son was alive, and was ruler of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. It was Jacob's turn to be speechless. But after he saw the convoy of wagons waiting to transport him and all 70 members of his family, the truth sank in. He said "Joseph my son is alive. I will go and see him before I die."

Let's note three things that will help us learn and grow from what this chapter tells us. First, we need to respect and honor the importance of family. No family is perfect, and no one in those families is perfect. As much as possible, we ought to treasure and cherish our families. As much as we can, we ought to be together and enjoy each other's company. Lonely folks know the value of family. We shouldn't take our relationships for granted.

Also, I want to be more like Joseph about the hard things that come to me in life, even hard things that happened because someone else was mean or cruel. I've known very little of that. But Joseph knew a lot about it, and he modeled the best attitude to have toward it. He saw God's hand and God's purpose in all the mean, hateful things his brothers had done. Joseph did not blame them or hold a grudge. Instead, he told them not be angry with themselves. He showed them how God worked in it to send Joseph ahead to save them from the famine. Joseph accepted hard things from the Lord. Doing so helped him overcome hard feelings toward others. Do you need that? I do.

Last, let’s not miss Joseph's parting instruction to his brothers. As they left Joseph to go get their father and their families, he warned: "Do not quarrel on the way." The family had already endured enough strife. There was no reason to get upset and fuss with each other about any of this. That's good advice for our families at home and at church. We're brothers and sisters. We are on our way to see our Father. Our own Savior brother has warned us about the danger of quarreling and called us to peace. Let's each in our own relationships, as much as we can, listen to Joseph. Let's not quarrel on our way home.

Copyright © 2021 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.