Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Genesis 44-45

Genesis 44
Joseph did not choose the opportune moment of the feast to reveal himself, much to my dismay. Instead, he sends them on a trip back home, after deceptively hiding more of his silver in their grain sacks. When they're accused of thievery, they sort of trap themselves: 
"If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.” (Genesis 44:9 NIV)
Whoops. 
Needless to say, Ben has the silver, as it was planted there. When they are returned to Joseph, it is with humble hearts. They had already resigned themselves to a life of servitude. 
When Joseph offers to take only Benjamin in recompense for the silver, Judah does a really really brave thing. 
He tells the truth. 
He talks about how his dad loves Ben, and would die without him, and how if his dad died, so would he, and the whole situation would be a whole domino effect of death. Or something to that measure. 
And then, get this: Judah offers to take Ben's place with as Joe's servant. What an absolutely Jesus-like thing to do.
Props to Judah for being the bravest of the brothers. 

Genesis 45
This is totally off-topic, but I feel compelled to write about it anyway tonight. 
I read a book lately called The Shack, which I totally recommend to anyone with an open mind that wants to see God in a refreshing and unheard-of way. In it, the character that represents God said that we don't have to be like Jesus. 
Wait what? 
Yeah, I know. It took me a long time to process that. I've been dealing with some friend stuff lately, and some crazy big doubts in myself and in the relationships I have with others. A lot of times, I'm plagued by this impossibly high standard "What Would Jesus Do?" 
Guys, Jesus wasn't just a human. I mean He was, but his divinity gave him a grace and strength that we as humans can't have just yet. God isn't asking us to be like Jesus, because we are entirely different than Jesus. He has a plan for us that is all our own. And though it's important to try to live in a Jesus-mindset, God isn't asking us to constantly strive to be something that we simply are not. We're all complex, and though Jesus is in all of us, he is in all of us differently. I mean, I see Jesus in people in ways that are by no means supported by anything biblical. It's just Jesus. 
If you hate that idea, you can disregard it. I just had to get it off my chest, and now I'm going to talk about Joseph and his bros a bit more.

I think emotion is a God thing. So I find it a bit beautiful that Joe sent his attendants away and wept, overwhelmed. Drowning in grace. 
When Joseph sends his identifies himself to his brothers, they don't have at all the reunion I was expecting. They're scared of him. I would be, too! Now that he has this much power, it would be well within Joe's reach to execute them all. Their bullying demeanor of past years is abandoned, and this meek and frightened spirit is showing. 
I love in Joe's monologue that he credits everything to God. It's easy to forget that he literally brings us everything, and it's gorgeous to see Joe praising God even for the mistfortunes he went through. He was able to see the good in his challenges. 
And THEN, they have the little reunion I was looking for. Some hugging and crying, and joy all around. Pharaoh gave the brothers some free stuff, in typical Oprah fashion. Ben gets the favorite brother award for some reason, though I still haven't figured out why. And the brothers get ready to retrieve their dad, and bring him to good ol' Egypt. 
I LOVE VERSE 24. Joe sounds like a concerned mother. 
"Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!” (Genesis 45:24 NIV)
Such a precious young lad. 
When the bros get back to their dad, he doesn't believe them. After a bit of wheedling and convincing, however, he gets it. And they prepare to go reunite with their long-lost Joe. 
I love that. 

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