It was 20 years— 20 long years of injustice and rejection, pain and hardship. Enough time for callouses to form, resentment to fester, and bitterness to overtake the heart. That is understandable for people who have gone through rejection, abandonment, lies, and mistreatment. Amazingly it was not the case with Joseph.
We pick up the story in Genesis 45 where Joseph prepares to reveal his identity to his brothers. All this time they have been bowing and scraping to “the man” so they could get food for their starving families. Today Joseph plans to tell them he is not just “the man” but he is their brother. Joseph must have prayed about it a lot because he does not plan to confront them but to reveal himself to them. His approach to reconciliation gives valuable support and insight to anyone who has gone through excruciating ill-treatment.
His steps are clear-cut: First he reveals himself— “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.”— Genesis 45:4. No reconciliation can take place before an open, honest, anger-free airing of the problem. Openness brings vulnerability.
Then he says, I forgive you because “God sent me before you to preserve life.” (verses 4, 7). This could bring on anger, denial, or at the least anxiety! “Come again! Are you playing the martyr here?” The brothers are thunderstruck and anxious. Joseph explains he is releasing himself of all animosity because, by faith he knows that his God can and has brought good not only to him but for them as well.
Third, he tells them, “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt. . .” (Verse 9). Joseph is excited to share his story of God’s sustaining and blessing during his time of pain and hardship; of God’s unwavering, bounteous promise, “To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning,” Isaiah 61:3.
Lastly, “. . . he kissed all his brothers and wept over them,” (verse 15). Joseph kissed even Judah who sold him for 20 pieces of silver! Joseph demonstrates that he is not holding back, no resentment, no reluctance, he forgives and loves again.
“Wow! What a story. Is that for real?” we ask. Yes it is! Read it! Joseph did it and we can do it too.
Interestingly, that is exactly what God does for us. He becomes vulnerable as He reveals Himself through the man Christ Jesus. He assures us that if we accept Him, our past is forgiven and our future assured. Then He bids us to freely and joyously share our bedrock experience of His unconditional love and sustaining presence in our lives. Lastly He says, let them know that anyone and everyone is accepted— No exceptions!
Today’s Goal: To open my heart and take steps to use 3 little words, “I forgive you”, to someone who hurt me.
A Wilderness Guidebook . . . 
I have often wondered about these three little but enormously important words. I must confess that I am still working on getting it right. I was taught that forgive and forget go together, neither of which is easy. I tend to try to forget the hurt and pain first and then get to the forgiving. I have even convinced myself that once I have forgotten then it must mean that I have forgiven. So the struggle continues and while I have also learnt to be cautious – the once bitten, twice shy syndrome – my take away from the story of Joseph is that we should ask God to help us to look beyond the hurt and find His true calling for our lives. It may not be anything as grandiose as what happened for Joseph, but it is our unique calling and I try to remind myself that God kept me because He had a plan for me.
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