Resources > Devotions Who You Are and Who God Is! Posted by Rev. Jeff Dixon, Senior Equipping Minister, CCC Ministries on Sep 28, 2007, 08:06

Who You Are and Who God Is!

Genesis 50

 1 Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

 4 When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh's court, "If I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 'My father made me swear an oath and said, "I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan." Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.' "

 6 Pharaoh said, "Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do."

 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh's officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt- 8 besides all the members of Joseph's household and his brothers and those belonging to his father's household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company.

 10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, "The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning." That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.

 12 So Jacob's sons did as he had commanded them: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

 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.

Joseph asks an amazing question in verse 19 as you read above, "Am I in the place of God?"

You have read the passage and you are probably familiar with all that happened to Joseph over the course of his lifetime. Had he been a lesser person he probably would have decided to unload his power against his brothers.

There are people, perhaps you know some, who love nothing more than to exploit the power they have over others, especially if they have them at a disadvantage. Joseph looks at his brothers and they are vulnerable and at his mercy.

Instead of unloading on them he chooses to use "grace."

His statment, "Am I in God's place?" was him saying to his brothers, "Brothers, listen to me. I know what you did. I know what you meant by doing it. I know you meant to do me evil. Okay? I understand that and you know that I understand that. That was your plan. But God had other plans, and he turned the results of your evil misguided intentions into something good. At one time I didn't understand this and see it this way, but it all makes sense now. Get this straight-God meant it for good!"

It would be nice to think that we would react the same way. Guard your heart when you have the power to place guilt on someone else. Refuse to rub their noses in the mess they have made. Follow the example Joseph shows us and instead of lowering the boom...remember what he did, "Don't be afraid, I will provide for you and your children."

Joseph had a love for his family that would not cease. That love was based on his love and trust in God. That is what allowed him to embrace the uncertainty that had plagued his life.

Joseph was led by grace, he spoke by grace, he forgave by grace, and he forgot by grace. He remembered by grace, he provided by grace, and because of grace he could remember who he was and who God really is!

It is by grace YOU have been saved. You couldn't do it on your own.

That grace enables you to deal with others differently and better..by grace...which of course is from God!