And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.”
Genesis 45:4-5
Recommended Reading: Genesis 50:19-21
Families have the possibility of great conflict because of close quarters and constant interaction. But when conflicts are resolved and relationships repaired, family “reunions” can be sweet.
That is what happened with Joseph and his brothers. When Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, God’s providence caused Joseph to rise in stature in the royal Egyptian court. When a famine struck Joseph’s family in Canaan, his brothers journeyed to Egypt to buy food. There they encountered Joseph and were reunited with the brother they had sold into slavery. But Joseph saw God’s hand at work, sending him to Egypt to prepare a way for his family to stay alive.
If you have been separated from friends or family, trust that God has a purpose in your pain (Romans 8:28). Do everything you can to be reunited with those you love (Romans 12:18).
Christians ought at all times to be making contributions towards reunion, if it is only by their prayers.
C. S. Lewis
DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION 