Lent has finished but it always seems that ending these Lenten devotions on Easter is fitting.
Jacob is embalmed in the Egyptian style - maybe to better preserve the body for the journey to Canaan in a non-air conditioned climate.
Then we see Joseph's brothers begin to worry. Now that their father is dead, maybe Joseph will decide to take vengeance after all!
But just as we see signs of death in this chapter with Jacob and Joseph, we also see signs of resurrection.
It is pretty funny that they get together and tell Joseph, "Dad's dying wish was for you to forgive us for selling you into slavery!" We see Jacob's final words in the previous chapter and they didn't seem to have anything to do with his sons reconciling after his death.
So in good family tradition, the other brothers get into the act of using trickery as a means to an end.
If Joseph sees their ruse, he doesn't let on. He does, indeed, take the gracious response. He not only forgives them but pledges to care for them. Their ironic statement, "We are here as your slaves" will come to pass in the next book of the Bible, Exodus.
On Easter, we celebrate the resurrection and new life we have in Jesus Christ. We seek to end old grudges. We seek to crucify our bitterness and let graciousness rise in its place. We do this because we are in Christ together.
Even on the cross, Jesus practices this graciousness in Luke 23:34 declaring, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
Jacob is embalmed in the Egyptian style - maybe to better preserve the body for the journey to Canaan in a non-air conditioned climate.
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Even a crown of thorns can flower
with new life!
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But just as we see signs of death in this chapter with Jacob and Joseph, we also see signs of resurrection.
It is pretty funny that they get together and tell Joseph, "Dad's dying wish was for you to forgive us for selling you into slavery!" We see Jacob's final words in the previous chapter and they didn't seem to have anything to do with his sons reconciling after his death.
So in good family tradition, the other brothers get into the act of using trickery as a means to an end.
If Joseph sees their ruse, he doesn't let on. He does, indeed, take the gracious response. He not only forgives them but pledges to care for them. Their ironic statement, "We are here as your slaves" will come to pass in the next book of the Bible, Exodus.
On Easter, we celebrate the resurrection and new life we have in Jesus Christ. We seek to end old grudges. We seek to crucify our bitterness and let graciousness rise in its place. We do this because we are in Christ together.
Even on the cross, Jesus practices this graciousness in Luke 23:34 declaring, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
We see parallels to this chapter and the Easter story as Jacob is carried north for burial and his children begin a new chapter in their lives.
For the disciples, they too will head north from Jerusalem to Galilee as the messenger in Mark 16:6-7 declares:
Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”They too will begin a new life but it is not death that has changed them, it is resurrection! May you reflect upon death and life and new life as it comes to you and may you embrace resurrection!
Christ is risen:
The world below lies desolate.
Christ is risen:
The spirits of evil are fallen.
Christ is risen:
The angels of God are rejoicing.
Christ is risen:
The tombs of the dead are empty.
Christ is risen indeed from the dead,
The first of the sleepers.
Glory and power and his forever and ever.
Amen.
Prayer by Hippolytus of Rome, early 3rd Century
Photo by Pandiyan V via Flickr.com. Used under the Creative Commons license.
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