GENESIS 44:1-2

Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.  Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack along with the silver for his grain.  And he did as Joseph said.

TO PONDER

Why has Joseph done this, not only returning the men’s silver, but this time adding the silver cup?

How must they have felt when they discovered once again that the silver was in the mouth of their sacks, and to make it even worse, there was the silver cup inside the youngest’s sack?  We all know that the brothers were innocent of stealing the cup, but guilty of far worse.

It is like us; we may take pride because we are innocent of some sin or another.  And yet, we are probably guilty of far greater sins that have not been exposed.

As I was reading this verse, it reminded me of a long-lost memory of being dared at high school by my so called “friends,” to steal something off the tuck shop counter while the workers were not watching.  They encouraged me, saying they had all done it and got away with it!  So, wanting desperately to be accepted by these girls, I took on that dare.  As soon as I had it in my hands, one of the girls took it from me, but to my shock and horror, one of the workers commented “who took that bar?  It was here a minute ago!”  I was overwhelmed with the guilt and told that group that I was going to own up to it, and their response was to threaten me.  I never made the grade with those girls, and from that date on  after not being accepted, I realised that I didn’t need those type of friends and I didn’t need to be part of a “gang.”  I did not sell my friends out, but I almost sold myself out.   A lesson learned.

Josephs brothers were learning a lesson, especially after finding the silver in their sacks a second time, and even now the silver cup?  They knew they were innocent of steeling the silver and the cup, but the guilt of their first sin was surely playing on their minds.    Have you gone through a similar situation to the brothers?  Have you felt ‘sold out’?  How did you handle it? 

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I thank you that you are with me when I am tempted to make .  I pray Lord that you continue to work in me, leading me on the right track, and that I never doubt that you will always be walking beside me, uplifting, and encouraging me to keep you foremost in my journey through life.

AMEN

Today's devotion written by Noeline Brock, Danny's Mum