The Power of Love

I'm talking about the Power of God's love at work through ordinary people.

Just read the last chapter of Genesis for the first time ever!

Quick recap..... Joseph is beaten by his brothers, sold into slavery, imprisoned, made lord over Egypt, his brothers come looking for food, Joseph reveals himself to them and is reunited with his father Jacob who then dies. This is an awesome story but I had never read on until now.

Genesis 50 Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵ When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" ¹⁶ So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: ¹⁷ 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. ²¹ So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Wow! Here's Joseph demonstrating the mercy of God. His heart is broken ("17 ... Joseph wept.") by the plea of his brothers who are asking for mercy not because they were necessarily repentant but because Jacob, their father, told them to.

What does Joseph do? He reassures them and speaks kindly to them. This kind of love has power beyond anything else to heal, transform, forgive and restore.

More of this in me Lord! Amen.