Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
- Genesis 45:3-5
It may be natural to look at this scene from Joseph's point of view. This is an awesome example of forgiveness of people who have caused great hurt and have not asked for or done anything to deserve forgiveness. Sure, Joseph has no want for anything. He has a good life at this point and has risen to power, second only to Pharaoh. But does that really negate the fact that he was nearly killed, taken away from his father who loved him and sold into slavery? Does that undo the pain and damage done from spending a couple of decades in prison for a crime that he didn't commit and would not have been around to be accused of had his brothers not betrayed him? It's easy to say he should forgive since it worked out to put him in such a place of wealth and power, but can any of us truly say that's how we would respond? Wouldn't it be more natural to use that wealth and power to stick it to the brothers who wronged us?
But today I looked at this from the other side. I tried to imagine what the brothers felt when they realized that the ruler before them was the brother they had so treated so horribly? Would they be unable to feel anything other than abject terror, understanding that they full well deserved whatever Joseph decided to do to them and that they would probably have them killed or made slaves for life were they in his position? Would all the ways they wronged him flash through their minds? Would they be overcome with guilt and shame?
How would they feel once they began to feel the truth and significance of his forgiveness sink in? How greatly would their spirits rejoice? How light would they feel at the relief of years of guilt lifted from their shoulders? When I imagined this scene today I couldn't help but imagine a scene so similar that we will all face in the future. There will come a time when we each stand before our adopted brother Jesus Christ. At that moment we will understand. There will be no doubt as to exactly who and what He is and what it really means when He is called the King of kings and Lord of lords. There will be no question as to His authority and right to judge. We will fall on our knees in awe of who He is.
Will there also be a moment of terror? After all, even the lowly angels must begin an encounter with "Fear not." This is no angel but the very God of all creation displayed in all His majesty and glory and power. Will all the times we have fallen short and failed Him flash through the core of who we are? Will all our dismissals of what we've been told of His authority and sovereignty over our life come to mind? What of all the times we pushed Him away so that we could do our own thing and have our own way?
How wonderful will it feel on that day when we finally dare to look up into His eyes and see, finally really see and know, the depths of His love and the truth of His forgiveness? There will be such relief, such joy! We will not face the condemnation that we so rightly deserve. But oh how much better will it feel to know that we gave Him our all and did not squander the riches of His grace!? How great to hear "well done My good and faithful servant."
If you are His, you are His. You do not have to fear the judgment and condemnation of Christ for your sin. But He will be Lord. That's a given. We will still be accountable for what we have done with the grace and truth we have be given. The rewards that are to come, even the reward of hearing "well done," will be for those who have allowed Him to reign before they stand before Him. Let us not wait. Let us not pay lip service to His sovereignty, but rather let us truly fall in reverence and surrender to His love and forgiveness now.
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