The Pile of Forgiveness

In services Sunday, we heard the story of Joseph who went from...

    Favored son to slave, as the brothers sold him,

        Slave to favored servant, as Potiphar trusted him,

            Favored servant to prisoner, as Potiphar's wife accused him,

                Prisoner to favored prisoner, as the warden empowered him,

                    Favored prisoner to Deputy Pharaoh, as Pharaoh listened to him,

                        Deputy Pharaoh to Favored Son, as Jacob was reunited with him.

When presented with an opportunity to deal out his own justice to his brothers for what they did, Joseph said:
"I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt." (Genesis 45:4b-8)
Joseph saw the big picture - God's picture.  Only through our trust in the LORD, can true forgiveness come.

At the end of services, some of us took paper, tore it up, and placed the pieces in baskets at the front of the Sanctuary. The paper reflected the names of those that we have forgiven. As we forgive, we lift the burden and remove the stench of hate and unforgiveness from our hearts while also demonstrating our trust in the Lord:

That He knows best,

That His justice is sufficient, and

That even in the most difficult circumstances, He is present, preparing us for ongoing opportunities to serve in His Name.

Joseph trusted.  Joseph forgave.  And, God used him for His mighty purposes - even, saving a nation.

What a great example to follow.

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