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Genesis 42:1-45:15<\/strong><\/span> In Genesis chapter 44 we read about Joseph instructing his servant to place his silver cup in Benjamin\u2019s sack.\u00a0 I guess what struck me about all this is that it seemed to me like Joseph was possibly playing mind games with his brothers.\u00a0 Not to say that they didn\u2019t deserve it\u2026\u00a0 but, I wonder if in all of this Joseph had a master game-plan \u2013 or if it was simply games he was playing?\u00a0 The weeping we see from him kind of makes me think that he was not 100% sure of what he was doing, game-plan wise.\u00a0 The weeping seemed to indicate that he wanted to reconnect with his brothers and his family.\u00a0 It seems in all of this he has kept at least 1 family member around \u2013 or has not let them get very far away.\u00a0 This makes me wonder \u2013 do we play mind games with others around us?\u00a0 Should we?\u00a0 Would it have been better if Joseph was honest with his brothers from the beginning on who he was?\u00a0 Would it be better for us if we are simply honest with others from the beginning?\u00a0 And don\u2019t play mind games?\u00a0 Below is a painting from 1831 by Russian painter Alexander Ivanov of Joseph\u2019s household manager finding the silver cup in Benjamin\u2019s sack:<\/span> Verses 18 through 34 in this chapter is Judah\u2019s amazing speech to Joseph!\u00a0 I don\u2019t know what it is about this speech.\u00a0 But I love it!\u00a0 It seems like Judah is finally owning up to being who he was born to be \u2013 the forefather of the line of King David and Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Verse 33 is the verse that really stood out to me: \u201cPlease, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 What struck me about this is that now Judah is willing to be the slave, in the place of his brother Benjamin \u2013 whereas 22 years prior he offered up the idea of selling his brother Joseph into slavery as we read in Genesis 37 verses 26 & 27: \u201cJudah said to the others, \u201cWhat can we gain by killing our brother? That would just give us a guilty conscience. Let\u2019s sell Joseph to those Ishmaelite traders.\u201d<\/em> It seems like Judah in chapter 44 has finally grown up and is acting like a morally responsible adult.\u00a0 Judah with this speech today is finally beginning to look like he might indeed deserve to be referred to as the father of the tribe of the \u201cLion\u201d of Judah!<\/span> Genesis chapter 45 begins with Joseph weeping again \u2013 and I think that it makes perfect sense that he does so, in light of Judah\u2019s impassioned speech!\u00a0 And I wonder if Joseph in part weeps because Judah is offering to be the slave in the place of Benjamin?\u00a0 Either Joseph is weeping because his brothers did not show him this same mercy 22 years prior \u2013 or he is weeping because he is happy that Judah and his brothers seem to be very different people from 22 years prior \u2013 or he\u2019s weeping for other reasons.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 Let me know your thoughts in the Comments on this.\u00a0 Below is a painting from 1816 by Peter von Cornelius of Joseph revealing his identity to his brothers in today\u2019s readings:<\/span> Verse 5 in this chapter is a powerfully mature statement from Joseph to his brothers: \u201cBut don\u2019t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I find this very powerful that Joseph discerned this.\u00a0 He had been sold into slavery for 11 years!\u00a0 He was in a prison for 2 years!\u00a0 And then, yes, things got better for him thereafter \u2013 but he was still apart from his family.\u00a0 And yet \u2013 Joseph saw God\u2019s hand and God\u2019s plan in all of this.\u00a0 There was a greater good happening \u2013 the preservation of Abraham & Isaac\u2019s descendents.\u00a0 The preservation of God\u2019s covenant people.\u00a0 I then wonder about this in our lives.\u00a0 Are there times where we go through some hard times \u2013 maybe for many years \u2013 and in the midst of that, could God be working?\u00a0 Could God\u2019s hand and God\u2019s plan be moving in the midst of challenging times in our lives?\u00a0 \u00a0I think it\u2019s possible that if I was Joseph that maybe I would have become a bitter man toward my brothers \u2013 and maybe done worse than just mind games.\u00a0 But, Joseph was compassionate \u2013 he wept \u2013 he gave grain in abundance to his family \u2013 he forgave his brothers.\u00a0 And more than anything, he saw that God was in control.\u00a0 Do you believe that God is in control of your life?\u00a0 Right now?\u00a0 All the time?\u00a0 No matter how good or how bad circumstances seem?\u00a0 Is God in control?\u00a0 Below is a very unique \ud83d\ude42 portrait by artist Guy Rowe of Joseph revealing his identity to his brothers and their looks of shock from 45:3: \u201cBut his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them.\u201d<\/em><\/span> Bible.org\u2019s commentary on Genesis chapter 42 titled \u201cThe Proper Use of Power\u201d<\/strong> is at this link<\/span>, commentary on Genesis chapter 43 titled \u201cThe fears of Jacob and the tears of Joseph\u201d <\/strong>is at this link<\/span>, commentary on Genesis chapter 44 titled \u201cThe Final Test: Dothan Relived\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>, and commentary on chapter 45 titled \u201cThe Fundamentals of Forgiveness\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong> Today\u2019s readings about Joseph giving God the glory for saving lives in Genesis 45:5 reminded me of the Aaron Shust song \u201cTo God Alone:\u201d <\/span>
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