By GARY ANDREWS
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Listening to a sermon from a visiting preacher one Sunday morning really drove a point home to me about family. He asked the question “How many of you have attended a family reunion this year?”
Several raised their hands indicating they had gone to a family reunion this year. I raised my hand because I had attended a reunion for my wife’s family and thoroughly enjoyed it. I only wish that my family would do the same every year.
Family reunions can be a time of rejoicing, renewing kinship of family members you see only once a year, or could be a time of settling disputes with brothers and sisters. Harboring harsh feelings for unkind acts or words of hurt from one to another can only fester and creates ill will for years if amends are not made and settled. Many times these feelings are really unfounded actions or misunderstandings. The holder of the grudge many times will allow these unsettled moments grow into something that is not there at all.
One of the greatest family reunions of all is told to us in Genesis 45. In chapters leading up to this one we are told of how Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers because of jealously. We also see that God had a plan for Joseph as He allowed him to become second in command over all of Egypt. He was second to Pharaoh; however Joseph knew who was ultimately in charge. God used Joseph and gave him wisdom through many trials that he faced in Egypt. Through God’s plan and Joseph’s leadership Egypt planned ahead for the times of peril that would come.
Joseph’s brothers and father came to Egypt for help during these times of hunger. Joseph welcomed them and helped them eventually bringing all of them to live in the land of Goshen. He forgave his brothers for selling him into slavery and this family reunion was one of the greatest.
All of us can do the same as Joseph and forgive anyone that has offended us. If we are the one that offended someone else, this could be a time for apologizing and getting rid of the guilt you have been carrying. God wants us to be one big happy family but it seems inevitable that we can’t get along. Problems arise from any type situation. We need to pray that we are confident in what we are doing and what we say and pray that we are in God’s will.
Prayer: Father God, thank you for the wisdom that you allow me to have. Lead me and guide me in the way you want me to go. Lord, if I have offended someone please allow that person and I to make amends before another day comes. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – Genesis 45:1-28; Monday – 1 John 4:19-21; Tuesday – 1 Timothy 5:3-8; Wednesday – 2 Samuel 2:26-28; Thursday – Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Friday – 3 John 2-4; Saturday – Joel 1:2-3.)
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals.com.