Tuesday, 25 August 2009 01:00  |  Written by Steve Hall and posted in Brotherly Betrayal

Then Joseph said to his brothers..., “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. Genesis 44:34

When we suffer it is easy to live out of the physical truth of the evil and injustice of our persecution. Joseph could have chosen to live his life in a place of darkness and pain where he was constantly the one “sold into Egypt.” Instead, he sees a spiritual truth too. He sees the-always-with-him God bringing light out of his darkness and saving lives through him.

Monday, 24 August 2009 01:00  |  Written by Steve Hall and posted in Brotherly Betrayal

"Please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of [Benjamin], and let the boy return with his brothers," [begged Judah]. "How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.” Genesis 44:34

Reconciliation after abuse is not a simple process. Broken trust needs to be restored and depending on the level of abuse this may never happen.

Joseph, as the victim, continues to use his anonymity and authority to test his brother’s characters. The brothers return to Egypt a second time and Joseph makes it look as if Benjamin had stolen his silver cup. Judah’s response here to Benjamin’s fate enables Joseph to feel safe enough to reveal his identity.

Friday, 21 August 2009 01:00  |  Written by Steve Hall and posted in Brotherly Betrayal

The brothers said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen...." Joseph turned away from them and began to weep. Genesis 42:21-22 & 24

In Egypt the brothers meet Joseph, but do not recognise him in his Egyptian regalia. As Joseph uses the opportunity to test his brothers’ characters 20 years on, he overhears them express remorse for their sinful actions. Joseph weeps from the emotional pain still trapped inside.

Time isn’t necessarily a good healer; whereas confession, repentance and forgiveness all are. These things restore our value as humans and lead us to reconciliation.

Thursday, 20 August 2009 01:00  |  Written by Steve Hall and posted in Brotherly Betrayal

When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons..., “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. Genesis 42:1-3

Joseph’s brothers had very little choice – go to Egypt or die.

Famine has always caused destitution and desperate journeys in search of food and water. However, today, Global Warming is increasing the severity and frequency of famines and our Western lifestyles are indirectly responsible for some of this.

How can you change your lifestyle to reduce you and your family’s negative impact on the environment?

Wednesday, 19 August 2009 01:00  |  Written by Steve Hall and posted in Brotherly Betrayal

Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They took the ornamented robe back to their father Jacob and said, “We found this..." All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but Jacob refused to be comforted. Genesis 37:31-32 & 35

I very much doubt that the brothers had considered the affect of their betrayal upon anyone other than themselves. To them selling Joseph was a convenient way of getting rid of him and making money at the same time. To their father, Jacob, however, their lies caused inconsolable grief.

Lies and betrayal often cause some of the most suffering in those we love. Do you need to tell the truth about something today?

Tuesday, 18 August 2009 01:00  |  Written by Steve Hall and posted in Brotherly Betrayal

When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe... and they took him and threw him into [an empty] cistern... As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Genesis 37:23-25

I wonder if Joseph endured overhearing his brothers rationally discuss over lunch how to “finish the job.”

Betrayal and injustice feels worse when, like here, there is no sign of remorse. It makes you feel like a commodity to be traded rather than a valued human being. This is especially true if the persecutor/s make money from their sin against you.

Joseph’s brothers had lost sight of Joseph’s humanity… and their own.