God’s Love, Part 3

 Genesis 37:29-36

“29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes. 30 He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where can I turn?” 31 Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They had the ornamented robe taken to their father, and they said, “This we have found; see now whether it is your son’s robe or not.” 33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A wild animal has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters sought to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father bewailed him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.”

Josephs’ brothers had to lie to their father about Joseph’s fate.  They could never admit to him what they had done. He would disown them, and cast them out.

So, they presented him with the blood soaked robe that Jacob had given to Joseph to suggest that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.  In a way, the old Joseph that they knew had, indeed, been killed.  The new Joseph that walked with God was in Egypt.

Jacob’s grief for his favorite son could not be consoled and seemed limitless. 

But only God’s love is limitless. 

And Joseph, his brothers, and his father were going to discover this.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)