Hebraic
Musing - Life suddenly made sense when...
...I
fell to my knees and said "Jesus Christ, you are real and I need to learn
more about you!" Joseph's brothers had a similar experience
when “Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father
still living?’ But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were
terrified at his presence.” — Genesis 45:3
The story of the lives of Joseph’s brothers is told in
Genesis chapters 42 - 45 and helps us appreciate what his brothers must
have been thinking before Joseph revealed himself. Here is Rabbi Eckstein's recap
of what Joseph’s brothers’ world looked like:
It had all started when they went on an innocent journey to
find food for their family during the famine. Egypt’s Prime Minister (Joseph)
accused them of being spies and made the strange demand that they return with
their youngest brother, Benjamin – the one who their father refused to part
with – in order to earn his trust. To ensure that they would come back, Joseph
took their brother Simeon as collateral. Things went from bad to worse when
they discovered that the silver they had used to pay for their food was somehow
back in their sacks. They were set up. They are confused and asked, “What is
this that God has done to us?” When the
family was on the brink of starvation again, they finally convinced Jacob to
allow them to bring Benjamin to Egypt so that they could return the silver,
redeem Simeon, and buy more food. This time they were treated like royalty and
were astonished that the mysterious ruler even knew how to seat them in age
order. Benjamin was given five times as much food as the other brothers as
clearly the mysterious Egyptian favored him. But things went bad again when the
brothers discovered Joseph’s prized goblet in Benjamin’s sack. Another set-up?
The brothers had reached rock bottom. Nothing made sense and everything
appeared lost. And then the words that changed it all: “I am Joseph!” With
those words, everything snapped into place.
On August 25, 1977, my world
snapped into place. My mixed up priorities were instantly aligned. My black and
white, angry, frustrated, never-satisfied attitudes were suddenly in loving
Technicolor. While we celebrate a Merry Christmas, I am remembering how Yeshua
HaMashiach changed my life over 35 years ago.
Points to ponder
When did your life suddenly make sense?
What can you say to someone else so his/her life
might suddenly make sense?
Merry Christmas December 25, 2013
Yosef a.k.a. Joe Brusherd
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