When we sin, as Joseph's brothers did when they sold their brother and then lied to their father that Joseph had been killed, we live in guilt. We know what we did. God knows what we did. In this case, all the brothers know what they did too. Our sin is known. The guilt was eating the brothers and they knew they deserved punishment for it. But just as Joseph showed mercy to his brothers, God also shows mercy on us.
I read an interesting book by Karen Kingbury over the Christmas holidays. In her fictional account of Mary and Joseph, she tells of how the conception of Jesus was cause for gossip and rumours around Nazareth and I'm sure that was close to the truth. Maybe this is a reason that Jesus was not believed in his own hometown. People may have still believe Mary was a cheater and Jesus was not who he said he was. The book also told about how Jesus may have took the news about John's death and how Mary may have visited Elizabeth and just as she learned how to go through pregnancy with Elizabeth, Elizabeth may have also taught Mary how to grieve the loss of a son. Of course this is all fiction but it made me think that these are more than just players in the story of Jesus but real people who would have experienced rumours and gossip and worry and loss in a way that we don't often stop and consider as we read through the stories of the Bible.
But we know that through it all:
God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
and
My child,[a] listen to me and do as I say,
and you will have a long, good life.
When we sin, when we deal with people who don't believe us, when we deal with hard stuff we can remember that God's promises and plan are perfect and He offers protection from all we have to deal with and when we listen and obey Him, we will have eternal life.
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Genesis 42:18-43:34Matthew 13:47-14:12Psalm 18:16-36Proverbs 4:7-10
1 comment:
So many of the stories in the Bible are amazing, especially when you see them as actual people who lived and breathed, and try to put yourself in their shoes in the story. God is faithful through it all.
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