On the way...
Ultimately, the
brothers of Joseph were headed home to reveal to their father that they had
been the cause of Joseph's supposed death and real disappearance.
Most likely, as they
traveled, they'd discuss all that had transpired over the many years. In the
minimum, they'd realize and dread the chastisement of their father, Jacob
(a.k.a. Israel). Think about it; I am quite sure those boys would start blame
casting, accusations, arguments, divisions, separations, and such.
In other words, human
nature would take over. Despite the joy of discovering the son together, they
would lose sight of the good news, and they would lose sight of the joy of
their father, and begin to quarrel about the details of their faults or the
levels of their guilt rather than the goodness of Jacob's son, Joseph, and the
joy of their father, Jacob.
As Joseph's brothers
were leaving, Joseph said, "Do not quarrel on the way." (Genesis
45:24 ESV)
Have you seen it yet?
This is us!
Our sin nailed the Son
to the cross.
The Son saves us.
We journey the rest of
our lives to the Father.
We -- THE CHURCH --
tend to live like Joseph's brothers.
Why? Human nature
takes over wherever and whenever human nature is not surrendered to the Spirit.
We need Joseph's
counsel today: "Do not quarrel on the way."
It's good advice. Do
not quarrel on the way.
Their way is our way
too. Those boys were on their way to face their father about how they had
treated his son. We are on our way to THE Father to face Him concerning how we
have treated THE Son. We're on the same way. We're on the way to the Father. Do
not quarrel on the way.
We face the same
danger along the way. We may fail to rejoice in the Son's goodness. We may fail
to join in the Father's joy. Do not quarrel on the way.
We have the same job
as those boys had. Receive the goodness of the Son as we journey to the Father.
Love the brethren. It's our duty! It's our privilege! It's the Father's joy! Do
not quarrel on the way.
On your journey, on
your way to the Father, -- and on mine too! -- we must journey with the
brethren. Do not quarrel on the way.
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