Joseph - A Man of Emotion

After studying the book of Genesis (again), I came to the last few chapters earlier this week and was reminded by the LORD how much Joseph loved his God and trusted Him with his very life. He is a portrait of Christ. The thing that impressed me the most was how emotional he was. He "wept" a lot. If you look at the context he gets emotional when he realizes HOW God had been working in his life all those years. It's as though Joseph is in awe of God's working - and it causes him much emotion over and over.

• Genesis 45:1-2

Joseph Makes Himself Known

1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it.

• Genesis 49:22-26 [Jacob's blessing on Joseph]

22 "Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.
23 With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.
24 But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
25 because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb.
26 Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

• Genesis 50:1, 15-17, 19-20
  
  1 Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him.
  15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
• 19 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

What a portrait of Christ! What forgiveness, emotion, compassion and mercy! Oh that God would continue to work and move in our individual lives the way he did in the life of Joseph.

Have you ever had moments when the LORD spoke through His Word to you and all you could do was respond in abandon emotion - face to the floor - nose hairs in the carpet? I have had a lot of those moments lately! Praise God He continues His purposes in my life - in spite of me!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie