Our Father
Now the famine was still severe in the land. So, when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food!”
… “may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man.” (verses 2, 14)
Read Genesis 43: 1-15
Joseph’s brothers need to go back to Egypt and face him a second time because they needed more food, as the famine was still severe. The brothers referred to him as ‘the man’, because they still didn’t know his true identity and feared him. Sadly, many people don’t ‘know’ God and live in fear of him. Many think that God has a big stick and is just waiting for you to do something wrong so he can whack you with some kind of judgement or misfortune. Nothing could be further from the truth! God wants us to know him and when you do, you don’t just call him ‘God’ you get to call him ‘Father’. Such is the mercy of God! And its all yours friend – free for the asking!
How do you picture God?
Lord God, your mercy knows no limits! Thank you that I can call you Father. Amen.
by Dean Mills, in ‘Time Out with the Shepherd’ (ACR, Australian Church Resources, 2017)
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