Genesis 42-44

Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me
Happy Birthday to me...
Happy Birthday to me!

OK, shameless... I know. But hey I turned 29 (for the first time) today and I have to celebrate! The next one moves me into my fourth decade of life! Being this old isn't easy! j/k.

You know, as I look back on my life I am grateful that there are no "skeletons" in the closet that I still have hiding there. My wife knows the good, the bad, and the ugly. I once heard unconfessed sin is like a dead horse tied by a large long rubber band to the back of your leg. An interesting image I dare say. But the analogy is this... as you walk around with your dead horse dragging behind, sometimes it gets stuck. When the tension is strong enough, the horse breaks free and comes flying at you, knocking you down, leaving a mark, and making you face its reality once again, usually with added guilt and shame.

In Genesis 42-44, the sons of Israel (Jacob) have that horse, rather a body, of their own. When they come to Egypt for food, Joseph their brother, now second in command of all Egypt, seizes the moment to inquire secretly about his family. They do not recognize him and Joseph deals "harshly" with them accusing them of being spies. As the events unfold Jacob's sons, perhaps prophetically, recall their own deceit and betrayal of Joseph, of whom they now speak about as dead. Looking at Gen 42:21-22, it is clear they perceive their treatment as a punishment from God for their sins.

But why then? It had been at least 12 years, probably several more, since they had sold their brother away and lied to their father. So why do they only now feel as if they are being punished? Why is the dead horse only now coming up to literally lay them flat in their sins.

Well, here's a thought. In Genesis 37:25 they had sold Joseph to some men on their way to... Egypt. As they now entered that land, I wonder if they were thinking, "Do you think we will find him here?" Their past had come crashing into their present. Being somewhat settled in their own land, I bet they would never have thought they'd have need to travel to Egypt. But now, here they were... and the question remained... "What ever became of our brother?"

Therefore when the trials came, they were reminded again of their sin. It had not been dealt with in the past and now here it was again. The guilt tears at them as the situation only grows worse. What will they do to cover it again?

Think about your own situation in life. Are there any great sins hiding in the background waiting to be unearthed, rediscovered to plague you again? Are there any people or places you avoid because you know that you will be confronted with past actions or words?

If so, I offer to you today the gospel of Jesus Christ. The ultimate price for every sin, whether it be from your distant past or facing you right now, is eternal judgment. God is a holy God and He can not overlook our inadequacies. They must be dealt with in order for us to have a right standing before Him or dwell with Him forever (which is eons better than the alternative). By His mercies, He has made a way for this to be possible, through His offered substitute of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to pay the penalty for our sins, that we might be offered forgiveness and reconciliation through His right standing before God. We must ask God for this forgiveness and reconciliation, but it is free for the taking if we want it.

I am reminded of a recent BC comic strip that circulated through our office. The character in the strip is shown writing on a tablet, "Do you believe there's a heaven and a hell- and that life is eternal?" He then throws the tablet into the water and it floats away. It is shown returning and the character finds this written in reply, "Yo! Eternity rules! And we get to pick where we wanna spend it!" It is so true. God offers us release from all eternal consequences of sin. It is yours for the taking. Will you take it?

But notice I didn't say all consequences. Sin still produces temporal division, shame, trifle, and pain. If you are a believer, we are called to confess that sin not just before God for restoration of fellowship with Him, but also to one another. If we have sinned against someone we are to be honest and repent by admitting our sins to others and asking for forgiveness in return. We are called to live a life of transparency. And from experience, it's the best way to live. Its the only life that brings peace. There is no dead weight you have to drag around. There aren't any dead horses ready to slingshot back into your life.