Why Did They Hate Him So
There was creation and by the first set of children of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel had sibling rivalry.
Abels’ only crime is he did right by God and God found favour with him. It was sibling rivalry serious enough for Cain to kill Abel.
It went on and on.
And it still goes on.
Question is what to do with it?
When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. (Genesis 37:4-5 NKJV)
Josephs brothers hated him. And they didn’t hide it.
They were willing to murder him but instead sold him to slavery, which indeed could have as well be death to his soul and eventually his body.
He left with no inheritance, not even the special coat his father made for him. He left stripped down to nothing. Absolutely nothing.
But not only did Joseph survive, he thrived in his captive land of Egypt many miles from the familiar rising further and higher than he would have if he remained in his father’s household.
Josephs secret to the favour he experienced was excellence he deployed to all he did.
What To Do With It
The time came when the inevitable happened and they had to come face to face with the state of their hearts.
Dad the mediator and anchor of the raging sons had rested and stepped out of the picture.
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?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘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. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. (Genesis 50:15-18 NIV)
Then and only then did they apologize and even then they didn’t use their own words but those of their Fathers. Not their own words, nor not any sooner did they apologise.
Only Joseph wept.
His heart was tender towards them and he forgave them but didn't forget. He was buried as an Egyptian not as an Israelite; not in a cave in Canaan, but in a tomb in Egypt.
It may not have been a sincere apology but Joseph took it and still gave God praise for turning it all around for His glory.
What If?
What if we never get the apology?
Can we still give God praise?
Can we still fellowship with them?
Nothing is wasted with God.
We just have to have the right attitude about it.
Gods perspective. Gods heart.
We don't have the capacity to turn mens hearts only God does.
Ours is to point them to the Father with Gods love, forgiveness; all as His Word directs.
We need to ask ourselves
'How much is our lives a reflection of Gods Word?
Gods will?
God Himself?
Can we submit ourselves to God to be living epistles even in the midst of hatred towards us?
Do we look like our Father?
Our Fathers heart?
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men (II Corinthians 3:2 NKJV)
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.(Colossians 3:16 NIV)
Gakenia Thumi
16th May 2020
There was creation and by the first set of children of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel had sibling rivalry.
Abels’ only crime is he did right by God and God found favour with him. It was sibling rivalry serious enough for Cain to kill Abel.
It went on and on.
And it still goes on.
Question is what to do with it?
When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. (Genesis 37:4-5 NKJV)
Josephs brothers hated him. And they didn’t hide it.
They were willing to murder him but instead sold him to slavery, which indeed could have as well be death to his soul and eventually his body.
He left with no inheritance, not even the special coat his father made for him. He left stripped down to nothing. Absolutely nothing.
But not only did Joseph survive, he thrived in his captive land of Egypt many miles from the familiar rising further and higher than he would have if he remained in his father’s household.
Josephs secret to the favour he experienced was excellence he deployed to all he did.
What To Do With It
The time came when the inevitable happened and they had to come face to face with the state of their hearts.
Dad the mediator and anchor of the raging sons had rested and stepped out of the picture.
Then and only then did they apologize and even then they didn’t use their own words but those of their Fathers. Not their own words, nor not any sooner did they apologise.
Only Joseph wept.
His heart was tender towards them and he forgave them but didn't forget. He was buried as an Egyptian not as an Israelite; not in a cave in Canaan, but in a tomb in Egypt.
It may not have been a sincere apology but Joseph took it and still gave God praise for turning it all around for His glory.
What If?
What if we never get the apology?
Can we still give God praise?
Can we still fellowship with them?
Nothing is wasted with God.
We just have to have the right attitude about it.
Gods perspective. Gods heart.
We don't have the capacity to turn mens hearts only God does.
Ours is to point them to the Father with Gods love, forgiveness; all as His Word directs.
We need to ask ourselves
'How much is our lives a reflection of Gods Word?
Gods will?
God Himself?
Can we submit ourselves to God to be living epistles even in the midst of hatred towards us?
Do we look like our Father?
Our Fathers heart?
You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men (II Corinthians 3:2 NKJV)
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.(Colossians 3:16 NIV)
Gakenia Thumi
16th May 2020
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