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Reconciled

CS Lewis once observed, ‘everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive’. Have you ever struggled to forgive someone? Forgiveness is hard. Yet, God cares more about working it into the hearts of Joseph and his brothers than almost anything else. It seems to be more important than even Joseph becoming Prime Minister of Egypt. We take a look at where the power for forgiveness comes from. Why it’s central to the heart of God and we see the beauty that makes it all possible.

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Genesis 45:1–8 (Listen)

Joseph Provides for His Brothers and Family

45:1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

(ESV)

Genesis 45:14–15 (Listen)

14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.

(ESV)

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.

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