February 18, 2019
For full passage click: Genesis 43:3-11, 15 …“I myself will be surety for him; you can hold me accountable for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.” vs. 9
Judah and his brothers had contrived to sell their father’s favorite son, Joseph, into slavery. The story of Joseph’s rise to a position of prominence in Egypt is well-known, as is the famine-driven trip of the brothers and their reunion with Joseph, who they fail to recognize. Joseph contrives a test for them and sends them back to their father to retrieve his much loved son, Benjamin. And now, Judah, speaking for his brothers shows that he has changed. He promises himself as surety for his little brother. Such things do happen in our world. People do change. The sins of our youth can be cast aside as we are transformed in the image of the Christ. In recent years our society has shown a reluctance to believe the repentant. There’s little inclination to extend forgiveness, even if there’s clear evidence of remorse and repentance. To some extent we can understand this on a political level: the accusations are a part of the game. But it’s sad when such skepticism dominates our relationships and we regularly deny the possibility of redemption even for those we love. We can change! And when it happens it is something to be celebrated and not doubted.
Thought for the Day: Where have I seen profound change in a person’s life?
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