Joseph's Reunion

I have been thinking a lot about Joseph.  In my personal devotions, I just finished Genesis this morning, so I read about him and his family every day. We also just finished walking through this story in our family devotions, so it has been doubly-considered.

You probably know the story.  Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He was accused of a crime he did not commit and was sent to prison. He was released when he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams. In fact, Pharaoh promoted him right to second-from-the-top in the kingdom. Famine started as Joseph had predicted.  Joseph's brothers, 10 of them anyway, heard there was food in Egypt, so they went to see if they could get something to feed their families. Joseph recognized them, but did not reveal himself. He gave them food and sent them on their way. He wanted his whole family together.  Eventually, a reluctant Joseph (Genesis 46:2-4) agrees to go down to Egypt with the rest of his family to meet with Joseph. 

So Israel takes all of his family and goes to Egypt. "He (Israel) had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to show the way before him in Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen. Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.” (Genesis 46:28-29). Joseph's family had been broken for years. Each member of the family went on and yet they were incomplete.  Now, by God's sovereign hand, they were all together again and Joseph wept cried tears of joy. 

Sometimes, as life's circumstances change, I understand Scripture on a deeper level.  Scripture interprets me differently. I have undoubtedly read this passage many times, and this was the first time I was struck by the emotion wrapped up in reunion.  In less than three days, my whole family will be together for the first time. We will have all five children under one roof.  I don't know that I will weep, but I have become emotional just thinking about it. I have a sense of Joseph's feelings.

We live in a world marred by sin.  Churches are broken. Families are broken. Individuals are broken.  Christ came to repair the brokenness and at the end of days, all will be restored. 

"Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, 'Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.' And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed"-Revelation 21:9-12