I've been listening to United Abominations, the new Megadeth album. My copy of the latest issue of Revolver arrived yesterday, and there's a big article on Megadeth in there, where one of the blow-up quotes says something like: "I was saved ... I read the Bible and know the United Nations is going down." (something like that) Very interesting. There was a time when Dave Mustaine was super leary of talking about his faith in the press. This seems unusual for him.
Chapter 50 of Genesis wraps the book up. The saga of Joseph and Jacob winds down. In the last chapter Jacob had breathed his last and died. The first verse in chapter 50 describes Joseph "leaning over his father's face, wept and kissed him." He had his servants embalm his dad. "So they embalmed Israel." (that's a strange sentence to read in the Bible!) It's funny to see the text explain that it took 40 days to embalm Jacob/Israel. The Egyptians mourned 70 days. Joseph sent a message to Pharaoh to get permission to take off for a while and bury his dad. This was a big deal, since he was the practical leader and manager of Egypt and the trip and burial would probably take a long time. Pharaoh gave his permission and authorized a large party to accompany Joseph and his brothers for this.
Joseph's brothers talked to themselves, thinking that Joseph would show "his real colors now that their dad was out of the picture..." They made up a message that their dad had commanded that Joseph forgive them for their transgressions. Joseph wept when he heard their message. He brings closure to the whole drama when he tells them his response:
"Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result -- the survival of many people. Therefore don't be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Isn't it cool that God works on people and molds their hearts? All the dirty suspicions we have of people are just that -- dirty little suspicions that we cook up in our minds, turning them over and serving them to our imaginations to feast one (and get sick over). It's amazing, sad and funny how we can trip out on stuff in our heads. Fear and worry are like demon spirits in a way, getting into our heads and festering like sores. This is probably another good reason to stay in fellowship and maintain spiritual disciplines, like reading the Bible and praying to God. It keeps our perspective clean, encourages us, and helps tear down faulty arguments and crazy ideas in our heads.
Isn't it foolish to think the worst of someone and then come to find out that they're really solid, cool and (dare I say it) pure? We can be really dumb sometimes.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at March 23, 2007 10:48 AMThank you for this devotional. It's a lesson many people need to learn, myself included. Human nature gives way to preconceived notions of the worst in others. We can be so distrustful... but Joseph shows us a more nobel way. GRACE!
He shows us how to walk with God in such a way that our eyesight becomes like His, seeing others the way God sees them.
Thank you again for this lesson. I'll be sharing it with others!