«Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph ‘s house; and they said, «It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys» (Genesis 43:18)
Joseph’s brothers were standing before the Governor of Egypt. Speaking Egyptian, Joseph ordered that the group of Israelites be taken to his royal palace, and that a banquet be prepared for them. Since they did not understand the language, and because of the guilt weighing on their minds, they misinterpreted both the unexpected banquet at the palace and the returned money in their bags as ominous tricks being used against them. When they returned to Egypt, their father had made sure they took with them twice the payment, to return the money they found in their sacks. Honesty in all aspects of life should be a distinctive characteristic of every follower of Jesus.
Joseph, the Governor, had invited them to dinner, but his brothers saw this as a threat. There is nothing in the world heavier than a guilty conscience. crime committed against their brother Joseph led them to interpret every situation as a punishment, even when it was actually a blessing. They had sold Joseph as a slave to a caravan of merchants in the desert, and they supposed that they would receive the same punishment.
But they were in for a surprise. Joseph, whom they had sold twenty years before, was now free and a lord of Egypt, while they, ever since their betrayal of their brother, had not been free at all; in fact they were slaves of their fears. Take a look at your own fears. Do any of them have to do with a feeling of guilt? Do you fear that something you did to someone in the past may come back to you?
A guilty conscience produces a fear that makes us interpret every event as a shadow of the past. If you feel responsible for any wrong actions, don’t let the enemy keep judging you in your mind; self-punishment will not free you from guilt. Confess your sin today with humility, and experience the reality of the divine invitation: » ‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool'» (Isaiah 1:18).
«‘When sin struggles for the mastery in the heart, when guilt oppresses the soul and burdens the conscience, when unbelief clouds the mind, remember that Christ’s grace is sufficient to subdue sin and banish the darkness. Entering into communion with the Saviour, we enter the region of Ministry of peace. The Ministry of Healing, ch. 18, p. 250.
Today, enjoy the results of God’s grace for every sin you have confessed.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
