Family Reunions

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If you like happy endings, today's reading will be to your liking.

Genesis 45:4-5 (NIV)

“Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

When we can look back at those times in our life when we cried out in desparation from a heart that was breaking, only to see God in action. What a blessing! These blessings aren’t reserved for special people; you and I are privy to these too. Joseph must have cried out many times during the early years of his captivity, only to realize his God had a plan all along.

Often when I am wondering just what God is doing I will go back into one of my journals and read through my notes from another season of life which was filled with pain. Often God uses my journals to reveal just how present He was; just how near to me He stayed. It is God's way of reminding me that He never moves away from us.

As family reunions go, this was a great one. It contained all the drama, tears, and regrets you would expect when family who has been separated for years - no matter the reason - are reunited.  God will use all of our sins, our pain, our bad judgments and wasteful ways, for His glory.  It is then we will recognize and acknowledge our need for God.  It is then we understand only God can do the things God does. Truly He is the One True God.

God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance. So you see, it wasn’t you who sent me here but God. Genesis 45:7-8a (NIV)

Genesis 45:4-8

Know Him Better

Every five years or so, a distant cousin will organize a large family reunion. Family members travel from all over the country to be there.

We spend about a half day in a nice park playing games and talking.

I have an excellent time, but there is a problem. I am not very good with names and I have difficulty recognizing people. To compound things, I don’t want to admit my flaw, so I act like I know them.

My wife and I will spend the several hour drive home trying to figure out who we were talking to.

My distant family is awesome, but seeing them four hours every five years makes it difficult to have a meaningful relationship. It would be nice to know them better.

Today’s lesson is from Luke 24.

Cleopas and a friend were travelling to Emmaus, discussing the fact that Jesus had been put to death by the ruling class. The whole area was abuzz about what had happened.

The resurrected Jesus appeared to them. Their conversation demonstrated how wrong Cleopas and his friend were about Jesus. The two believed Jesus was a prophet and thought he would restore the Davidic Kingdom (and earthly greatness) to Israel. They did not understand that Jesus was not only the Son of God, but that he was God. They did not understand Jesus came to set up a heavenly kingdom.

 

After a while, Jesus made himself known. The two then realized that Jesus is alive, he is God and that he is the promised Messiah.

 

I don’t always recognize my own relatives. Like Cleopas, I don’t always recognize Jesus.

 

Due to travel constraints, I don’t see my distant relatives very often. It is therefore not surprising I don’t know them very well. However, I can’t use that excuse about Jesus.

 

It is true, I cannot see Jesus, yet he is with me every day!

 

I need to spend more time with him.

 

Only then will I know him better, and appreciate who he is and what he has done for me.