Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Forgiveness That Heals Generations

Bible Reading: : Genesis 45: 1-15

Key verse:  

“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.” Genesis 45: 7-8

DEVOTION

If you are reading this, I am almost certain that this is not the first time you are hearing about forgiveness and most probably won't be the last time. Forgiveness is one of the most commonly used and talked about topics among Christians around the world yet not the easiest to practice. Forgiveness is not a topic that can be discussed in five minutes because there are so many components involved in forgiveness- trauma, healing, confrontation and justice to name a few. Today's devotional is taken from Genesis 45: 1-15 (I encourage all of you to read this passage) where Joseph is revealing himself to his brothers and forgiving them. 
As I was reading this passage, a few questions that came to my mind were- How was Joseph able to forgive his brothers? Was it easy for him? If I was Joseph, would I have done the same? When Joseph forgave his brothers, it not only healed him and his family but it healed and saved a whole new generation which portrays what Jesus did for us. A question that I would like all of us to ask and reflect on today is- How was Joseph able to forgive his brothers? 
One of the most commonly used phrases, which I always had difficulty understanding and accepting regarding forgiveness is- Forgive and Forget. Is that something Joseph is practicing here? It is hard to say yes because in V4 & 5 Joseph is telling his brothers that- "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,” He clearly remembers everything that his brothers have done to him. Then how was he able to forgive them? To me, Joseph was able to forgive them because he was able to see beyond his hurts that were caused by his brothers. He was able to see how God transformed his mess into a miracle. Joseph said to his brothers in chapter 50- “ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” 
I’ve once heard that forgiveness is a divine gift given to us through the Grace of Jesus Christ. Let us hope and pray that we will be able to practice this divine gift of forgiveness for ourselves and to others.  

PRAYER

Abba Father, we thank you for forgiving us sinners time after time. We pray we’re able to
portray the same grace and mercy towards others as you have shown us. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“ When you forgive, you in no way change the past - but you sure do change the future.” Bernard
Meltzer

Mathew Jojin Thomas, Long Island Mar Thoma Church, NY

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