Broken Family, Whole God, Forgiveness
Family is hard. That's the first thing I thought of when I saw this week's topic. When a family member hurts you, whether on purpose or by accident, that wound seems to cut to the core. This can be someone in your nuclear, extended, or even church family. This pain can sting, it can consume, and it can linger. These experiences can even alter your perceptions and root lies into your identity. Terrible right? Family members can love us the most and hurt us the most.
Why?
Because we are fallen creatures. Since the beginning of time with Adam and on, every family had hurt. One example of betrayal is Joseph and his brothers.
Even if Joseph was that annoying, tattling, show off little brother, their actions led to a life of separation from family, slavery, false accusations, imprisonment, and a whole lot of waiting. Finally, he got a break as Pharaoh's right hand man and saves Egypt from famine.
It is here that he crosses paths with his brothers. It is here that he keeps a distance and tests their character. It is here that he stays tough in front of them yet weeps in anguish in private. Finally, when he sees that his brothers have changed, that his brothers have become honest men, he loses it!
Genesis 45
1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
He cried that loud!?! His boss heard it. It must have been a really ugly good cry. You've done this before too, right? Let's keep reading:
4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. ...
11 There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your "household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ 12 And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.
Isn't verse 5 amazing? He got it. Through it all, he saw God's work in his life.
This is chapter 45 but I bet Joseph's process of forgiving his brothers happened before this moment. In the moments that he cried privately, he must have cried out to God and God was his comfort. God healed Joseph's pain the only way a perfect Holy God can. Through the process of forgiveness, Jospeh was able to not only forgive but cry vulnerably with his brothers and reconcile himself with them. He got his family back! He got to see his dad! He saved Israel. He was truly part of God's plan for his family.
There are lots of hurts when it comes to family. Some are in the past and some are ongoing and may even keep going. The Good News, the Gospel, makes it so that it doesn't have to hurt us forever. Go to our holy whole God. Go to him and just weep with him.
The uglier the cry the better. Tell him, "You can have it all, Lord, even these hurts." Or ask him if you are holding anything back from him or yourself. Sometimes we do this too and don't realize it.
My challenge to you is to find time before Monday to sit with God, soul search and listen. This will help us love our families and be who they need us to be.
Grace
Why?
Because we are fallen creatures. Since the beginning of time with Adam and on, every family had hurt. One example of betrayal is Joseph and his brothers.
Even if Joseph was that annoying, tattling, show off little brother, their actions led to a life of separation from family, slavery, false accusations, imprisonment, and a whole lot of waiting. Finally, he got a break as Pharaoh's right hand man and saves Egypt from famine.
It is here that he crosses paths with his brothers. It is here that he keeps a distance and tests their character. It is here that he stays tough in front of them yet weeps in anguish in private. Finally, when he sees that his brothers have changed, that his brothers have become honest men, he loses it!
Genesis 45
1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
He cried that loud!?! His boss heard it. It must have been a really ugly good cry. You've done this before too, right? Let's keep reading:
4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. ...
11 There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your "household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ 12 And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.
Isn't verse 5 amazing? He got it. Through it all, he saw God's work in his life.
This is chapter 45 but I bet Joseph's process of forgiving his brothers happened before this moment. In the moments that he cried privately, he must have cried out to God and God was his comfort. God healed Joseph's pain the only way a perfect Holy God can. Through the process of forgiveness, Jospeh was able to not only forgive but cry vulnerably with his brothers and reconcile himself with them. He got his family back! He got to see his dad! He saved Israel. He was truly part of God's plan for his family.
There are lots of hurts when it comes to family. Some are in the past and some are ongoing and may even keep going. The Good News, the Gospel, makes it so that it doesn't have to hurt us forever. Go to our holy whole God. Go to him and just weep with him.
The uglier the cry the better. Tell him, "You can have it all, Lord, even these hurts." Or ask him if you are holding anything back from him or yourself. Sometimes we do this too and don't realize it.
My challenge to you is to find time before Monday to sit with God, soul search and listen. This will help us love our families and be who they need us to be.
Grace
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