Made new!

In Genesis 50, Jacob has died and now Joseph's brothers are worried that he's been watching and waiting to get back at them. Surely now is the moment when Joseph might take revenge. That's how it'd play out in the movies... the wronged party waits and waits, and eventually dishes out the payback the bad guys deserve.

When do Joseph's brothers get what they truly deserve? They don't! Because that's not how it plays out when God is involved. Joseph isn't doing the forgiveness thing just to make a point, or to teach a lesson. Joseph has been changed on the inside. How does that work? We can determine to forgive, we can try hard to love, but ultimately these can only come through God. Change like this, that seems impossible, can become natural, but only from living in a place of closeness with God, living 'in the Spirit'. As we spend our days aware of God's presence, he changes our heart.

Let's look at Galatians 5:18 NCV: 'But if the Spirit is leading you, you are not under the law'. We can be, like Joseph, people who love and forgive naturally, and from the heart, because we have within us a God who's specialised in exactly that, from the dawn of time.



So what now? Find a current (but worn out) NZ banknote. Then get yourself a newer shinier one too. Keep both as a reminder that God makes all things new, and that includes you.





— SCRIPTURE —

'He reassured them by speaking kindly to them.' Genesis 50:21 NLT
— SOULFOOD —

2 Pet 1-3, Matt 10:32-42, Ps 18:30-50, Pro 12:25-28