Just for the Family

“Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there” (Genesis 43:30 NKJV).

This is the heart of our Savior, even toward the sinful. Joseph and his brothers were eating and drinking in the same room, but he sat alone. We dare not pass lightly over this statement. These men were taking a meal in Joseph's presence without being fully restored and without a revelation of love and grace.

We can be in the Lord's presence and still feel unloved. Many Christians will go to God's house to sing and worship, then go home to the same old lie: “God doesn't show me any evidence that he loves me. My prayers go unanswered. He doesn't really care about me the way he cares for other Christians.”

Joseph’s brothers had acknowledged their sin, but they needed to be totally at the end of their bitterness and human resources before Joseph could reveal his love to them. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – these, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). The brothers were not yet brokenhearted (see Genesis 43:34) so he put them to a final test. As they were leaving for Canaan, Joseph told his steward to slip his personal silver cup into the sack of Benjamin, the youngest brother. They were hardly out of the city when Joseph's men overtook them and accused them of stealing the cup. They were so certain of their innocence that they said, “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves” (Genesis 44:9).

There was no more fight in them. No more pride. They were humbled, broken; they cried out, "We give up! We surrender."

Then came the revelation of love. “Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Make everyone go out from me!’ So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers” (Genesis 45:1). They now had a sense of family, of unconditional love and acceptance. The world can hear about God's love, but only family can experience it.

Beloved, God dwells within the humble and brokenhearted. He delights in his family. He has loved us all these past years, even when we were sinners. Rest in his love for you.