Lent 2025 Day 7: Wed 12 Mar
Genesis 37:29-36
29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, ‘The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?’
31 Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, ‘We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.’
33 He recognised it and said, ‘It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.’
34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave.’ So his father wept for him.
36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
Now that they’d disowned Joseph, the brothers would have to lie to their father, concocting a story and thereby betraying their respect and duty of truthfulness to him. Jacob would spend many years in mourning because of what the brothers had done. Did they think he would react any other way, or had this not been in their plans? A father weeps and grieves for his dead son, and the brothers stand by to offer comfort, knowing that they were the ones who’d caused the grief.
There were sisters, too, from whom the truth had to be hidden. This double betrayal the brothers had committed would leave a father mourning for a son and sisters for a brother. For Jacob the blood-spattered coat would remain a terrible memorial of untimely loss. All because the brothers didn’t like Joseph.
They had no idea what was happening to Joseph. All they knew was that some Midianite traders had paid them money. And how comfortably was that undeclared income sitting in their pockets?
Have you ever told less than the truth to someone to save your own skin or avoid shame or embarrassment? Have you brought it to Father God for forgiveness? And to the person you deceived?
Father God, You know me too well. I might as well admit it before I call on You for anything. Break me (be with me in the pain), melt me (walk with me through the fire), mould me into your likeness and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Amen
28:53 Wiewohl mein Herz (Arioso)
12. Recitative S (Chorus I)
Although my heart is swimming in tears,
since Jesus takes leave of me,
yet his Testament brings me joy:
his flesh and blood, O most precious,
he bequeaths to my hands.
Just as in the world, among his own,
he could not wish them harm,
just so he loves them to the end.
Ends at 30:07
Paul