JANUARY 18, 2023

 “You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.” 

― Frederick Buechner

GENESIS 42-43

29As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 30Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.(42:29-30)

MATTHEW 13:33-58

36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

JOURNAL 

The effect of family on our hearts and in our lives is undeniable. Joseph is overcome with emotion by just seeing Benjamin. Even though it has been 20+ years, his emotions are fresh and he loves his brothers despite the harm they did to him. Joseph is now an extremely powerful leader with a family of his own, yet his own family still he holds close to his heart. 

While the strong emotions of family is certainly a gift, it also can feel like a curse depending on our own family circumstance. How we are raised and those people we call family will always hold a firm and powerful place in our lives. It is important to be aware of this as we seek to obey God. Many times our hearts are still far behind and buried under the experiences of our youth. These experiences can shape our view of life, of God and our current relationships. There may be things that need to be redeemed and healed, because they never will be forgotten. As with Joseph, money, success, new family etc. can never remove them from our hearts and minds. 

18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

1 PETER 1:18-19