-reading Genesis 50:15-21
Joseph was the son of Jacob, the grandson of Isaac, and the great grandson of Abraham. Until he was 17 years old, he and his family were part of a group of inconspicuous people, the ‘Apiru or Habiru, who lacked citizenship in the established nations of the Near East. Just like the migrant workers of today, the ‘Apiru were wanderers or outsiders, rootless people who moved from place to place, looking for seasonal pasture for their flocks. They were willing to hire themselves out as day laborers, but they never stayed in one place long enough to own land or farm the soil. In today’s reading, 10 years have passed since Joseph was sold to some traders. Joseph’s brothers do not know where he is. They have traveled to Egypt in search of wheat, and they have no idea that Joseph has been appointed the governor of all of the Pharaoh’s land. After he recognizes his brothers, Joseph clearly reveals how he has changed. He has become the kind of man who eagerly reaches out to help those who are in need. He reassures his brothers with these surprising words: “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” And Joseph provides for his family with a God-inspired generosity. Years later, when the Hebrew people began to write their own laws of justice, they remembered Joseph’s generosity in Egypt. In Deuteronomy 24:17-22, one of the laws began with “You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice…” and it closed with “Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this.” That law, based on Joseph’s care of the ‘Apiru, appeared in many texts throughout the Hebrew Bible. When the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph were told to future generations, the command to help the foreigner, the alien, the poor, the widow and the orphan, was honored. The people of Israel knew that they had to care for the needy before they could “celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD had given to them and to their house.” (Deuteronomy 26:11)How does your family celebrate its blessings? Do you share your bounty with the poor, the resident aliens, the orphans and the widows before you feast and rejoice?
Prayer: O God of justice and generosity, remind me of my riches and your gracious care. How can I share my sacred bounty with those who are unable to celebrate? What are your calls of justice to those of us at Lord of Life Lutheran Church? How might we as a church show that our decisions are guided by you, and you intend our actions for good?
Written by Lilja Behr