Dear Christa—
From Genesis to Now: Genesis 44:33-45:1
Repentance
Judah makes good on his
promise to Jacob. He speaks to Joseph alone. He tells of his father, explaining
that if Benjamin doesn’t return it will literally kill the old man. And, he
begs Joseph to let him stay as a slave in place of his brother. “How can I go
back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery
that would come upon my father,” he pleads. He has already seen that once. He
could not bear to see it again.
Judah’s actions reveal that
after confession comes a repentant heart. True repentance always brings about
change. God working in us—Is that not the impetus for change in our hearts
that’s revealed in our actions? I want to see God working in me, working in
others, working in the world.
Oh, God is always at work.
We can be sure of that, but my pride and selfishness has a way of hiding the
very longing of seeing His work. In a world so broken, God is holding it
together, not by a string, but by His almighty Hand.
God is writing a story—a
story of Himself and we’re in it. In this storyline surrender leads to
confession and confession to repentance. Repentance doesn’t always just affect
our own lives. Sometimes our repentance fosters change in others as well. After
Judah’s repentance, Joseph can’t help but reveal himself for who he really is,
their brother.
—the parishioner who doesn’t do anything
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