...Because I am a sinner.
I'm dumb enough to feel sorry for myself sometimes when things go wrong; but I'm also smart enough to know that I deserve to be mercilessly beat up, left for dead, starved ... and then tortured until I'm finished. Jesus forgave me. I needed His forgiveness desperately. Now that He's pardoned me, accepted me, and forgotten about my past (by choice, not by feeble-ness), I am grateful to Him. You never forget those people that treat you nice. I can't forget the love and mercy that God has shown me. This gratitude, this love, this realization is what motivates me to follow Him.
In chapter 44 of Genesis, we see more of the drama we've been following unfold. Joseph has fed the brothers, released Simeon, and saw Benjamin. As they left, Joseph had his steward stash the silver they had brought in their sacks. He also put a silver cup in Benjamin's sack. Later he chased after them and accused them of stealing. He searched their sacks and found the cup. They freaked out, knowing that the one caught stealing would be punished. They returned to the city and the rest of the chapter chronicles Judah pleading his case for Benjamin's release. He explained to Joseph how they couldn't possibly have their dad's only other son from his wife Rachel be taken away.
I wonder how hard it was for Joseph to conceal his own emotions as all this played out in front of him. He had these guys fooled and intimidated, for sure. He was the second most powerful man in the world, no doubt. He even told these guys that he can "find things out by divination."
They were in a good place for their souls, though. They were begging and starting to come clean about their crimes. If God's purposes are around this kind of attitude, some really cool things can happen as a result.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at March 7, 2007 10:02 AM