Genesis 44:33: “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.”

October 29th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Because of the continuing famine in Canaan, Joseph’s brothers had to return to Egypt a second time to buy more grain. At the instruction of Joseph, who they didn’t yet recognize, they brought their youngest brother Benjamin with them. They had not seen Joseph in over 20 years and weren’t sure he was even alive; so they certainly weren’t expecting him to be second in command of Egypt. They didn’t have a clue that their own younger brother was the one they had been dealing with.

Joseph didn’t reveal his identity, in order to test them. He no doubt wondered if they were still the lying, cheating murders they once were. They had already passed one test by returning the valuables Joseph had hidden in their grain during their first trip. Their honesty had improved. Joseph had one more test for them. How would they handle a threat to their younger brother Benjamin? So Joseph set the trap and watched to see how they responded to the pressure. Would they simply sell their youngest brother down the river a second time or had God worked some integrity into their lives? Judah passed the test, perhaps the ultimate test for Judah. He easily could have done the same thing they did last time and simply said, “Take our little brother. After all he’s only a half brother anyway, a stepbrother. He’s Rachel’s kid, so it’s no big deal. And our dad favors him anyway, and will probably leave a bigger portion to the little runt.”

Perhaps 13 years of guilt had made Judah more compassionate. God had softened this man and his brothers, and this time they were quick to confess their sins. That’s where God wants us all to be today, quick to confess our sins. God is constantly working with us to decrease the time between our sinful actions and when we finally come to confess them to Him. Keeping short accounts is an important goal for each of us.

“LORD, we are guilty. Please forgive us. We offer no excuses but just an admission of responsibility and a desire to change. Thank you, LORD, that You are anxious to forgive us today.”