November 28th, 2011
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

The Persistence of Guilt

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Opening Prayer

Holy Lord God, I open myself now to the power of the Holy Spirit. I want to glorify You in all things.

Read GENESIS 42:25-38

[25] Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, [26] they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. [27] At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. [28] “My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?” [29] When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. They said, [30] “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as though we were spying on the land. [31] But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. [32] We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’ [33] “Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go. [34] But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.'” [35] As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened. [36] Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!” [37] Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.” [38] But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in sorrow.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

Guilt may be real but it is also corrosive. Take a few moments now to confess to God those failings for which you feel guilty. Then, continue on to ponder his Word.

Think Further

In the light of their earlier eagerness to sell Joseph for money, we might expect that the brothers would rejoice at finding the bundles of money in their sacks. On the contrary, they are filled with fear (27,28). Sensing the hand of God in this, they are perturbed by what they cannot explain. A sense of foreboding falls upon them. Does their guilt about what they had done to Joseph color their view of things? Do they feel that in the end their immoral actions will be punished? Our guilt for past actions cannot be easily assuaged. Only those who truly know the forgiveness of God can be completely guiltless.

Once more Reuben speaks up. His words give a clear insight into his heart. In the light of Jacob’s concern for Benjamin, Reuben’s offer (37) lacks both reassurance and sensitivity. A caring father would not readily put the lives of his own children in danger. Who would trust someone who was so willing to have his own sons put to death? Jacob was not impressed.

Reuben’s willingness to pledge the lives of his two sons stands in sharp contrast to Jacob’s stubborn refusal to let Benjamin go down to Egypt. Jacob knows all too well the grief and pain of having lost Joseph, and he rightly fears for Benjamin. Paternal love makes it exceptionally difficult for Jacob to contemplate sending away his youngest son. No father worthy of the name would uncaringly sacrifice the life of one of his sons. In the light of this, we can be certain that it was with great anguish that God the Father sent his Son to redeem us from death (Rom. 8:32). Had there been another way to restore the whole of creation, Christ would not have died on the cross.

Apply

Reflect on what it cost the Father to send his Son to be our Savior. Thank him for his generous, unmerited love.

Closing prayer

Lord, I thank You for my salvation. I bow in awe before the cross. I agree with You about my sins and release them to Your gracious, forgiving grace.

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