So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘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. Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 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. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Genesis 50:16-21 NKJV
How often do we treat Jesus like the brothers treated Joseph? Like Joseph, Jesus was hurt for our sakes. Humanity like the brothers is responsible for selling Jesus into the hands of those who hated Him. But what we meant for evil God worked out for our good. Yet this is not what caused Joseph to weep.
Joseph wept because his brothers didn’t believe his good will towards them. They were sure he was biding his time to get even because he didn’t want to trouble their father. We do this same thing to Jesus. We don't believe that He has really forgiven us. We don’t really believe in His will to be good to us. We send Him little messages -- prayers -- of disbelief in His goodness. He weeps because we see His power and assign our motivations to His true good intentions to us. It grieves His Spirit to think that we don’t trust Him.
Like Joseph He continues to speak kind comfort to us. He assures us of His love constantly through provision for our needs. We are not to be afraid because His love for us drives away the fear that He will reject us. We know that He sealed us into His family when He died for us.
In His Care,
Pastor Jason
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