Read: Genesis 42: 26-34

Reflect:
When Joseph saw his brother, Benjamin, the only other son of his late mother, he was so overcome with emotion that he went into his private room and broke down and wept. The ESV says “his compassion grew warm for his brother”. The same wording is used in Hosea 11:8 when describing God’s compassion for His people. Joseph deeply loved Benjamin and, as we will come to find out later, all his brothers. After Joseph composed himself, he returned and they had a feast. These were the same brothers that planned to kill Joseph, threw him in a pit and sold him to strangers. Joseph could have sought revenge for how they treated him. The mercy that Joseph is extending to his brothers in this moment is a picture of God’s mercy He extends to us. It is undeserved, as all true mercy must be. Ephesians 2:4-7 says “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.” Because God is rich in mercy and has a great love for us, He acted to save us. We cannot do anything to earn this ….good works, kind acts, sponsoring a child, giving to the poor,… God’s reason for saving us was entirely His own. We did not merit His mercy, nor did we earn our salvation. We are saved by Christ’s death on the cross. He took the punishment we deserved. That anger or wrath of God was poured out on Jesus instead of us.

Pray:
Oh Lord, may I never lose the wonder of your mercy to me. I’m so glad that my freedom
was not based on what I’ve done but solely on Your goodness and mercy and the power of Jesus blood. May I, in turn, extend mercy to others.