Page 24 - Living Light 90

Monday September 22 - Fear
Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. Genesis 44:14
The brothers were scared; there’s no doubt about it! And with good reason; Joseph had all the power and control. He was second in authority in all Egypt. He had soldiers at his command. He had the ability to imprison the brothers or kill them. As far as they were aware, Joseph thought they were guilty of stealing his silver cup.
So they behaved in a desperate way. They not only bowed down, they threw themselves to the ground! Fear can make us do all kinds of things we wouldn’t normally do. We might try to run away from a dog we thought was going to attack us. We might agree to do something we know to be wrong to avoid pain or rejection. We might lie to try to avoid criticism or worse – or like Peter, the follower of Jesus, did when Jesus had been arrested.
Most of us can recall the ways that we responded or reacted when we were really afraid. Some people can do very brave things when they are afraid and may even be awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. But most of us do cowardly things of which we are later ashamed.
The good news is that God understands and will not only forgive us but can help us become stronger and better people – as Peter discovered.
Lord Jesus, please forgive me when I have done wrong or cowardly things to avoid rejection and criticism. Amen.
Tuesday September 23 - Caught out
Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done? Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?” Genesis 44:15
When I went to the checkout at the local supermarket, it showed that the person before me had not paid for their goods. Their picture and wrongdoing were captured on camera. Joseph didn’t have a CCTV camera but he did claim to be all-seeing! His claim was that he had secret powers and knew the brothers had stolen his cup. We know that it was a ‘put-up job’ but the brothers didn’t! How did they feel? Had Benjamin been foolish enough, not to mention being manifestly ungrateful, to steal Joseph’s cup? Were they all going to suffer, or even die, for his stupidity?
Of course, Joseph had a better plan. He didn’t want to imprison them but was working to restore his brothers and bless them with the food they needed. But it didn’t feel like that to the brothers. Similarly, when God is ‘on our case’, we can think that he knows everything about me – and indeed he does. He knows all the bad things we have ever thought or done – a terrifying concept. It can also feel as though we must be condemned and punished. But that is not God’s purpose. He wants to show us his forgiveness; that he has paid for all our sinfulness through the death of Jesus and is working to restore us to himself and bless us.
Lord Jesus, thank you that through your death for my sin I can be forgiven and know God’s love. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY