9 March 2012

9 March 2012


"Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons"


Hearing that, we are already jealous on behalf of Israel's other sons.  It isn't fair, we think.  Though we may be repulsed by the actions this leads Joseph's brother to carry out it nevertheless causes the same initial impulse in us.  They didn't realize that his blessing was meant to be a blessing to them all.  That's why his father sent him to them.

"Your brothers, you know, are tending our flocks at Shechem.
Get ready; I will send you to them."

We must guard our hearts against jealousy.  The Father in heaven sent his beloved son to us just as the landowner in the parable did:


"Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, 'They will respect my son.'"

But in our jealousy, we desire his power and benefits without his lordship.  We want the fruits and we reject the sacrifice.  In a sense, we say with the tenants "[c]ome, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance."  Why do we think that we can do better with the fruit than he will?  We horde it.  We want more than we need and others go hungry.


If we remember the marvels the LORD has done we will not mistakenly reject his cornerstone.  We will see that his desire is for our good.  We will see that he blesses others to make them blessings.  We will see his word proven true.  His fruits will be superabundant for all who are hungry.  If we remember the marvels he has done in the past  it will be the greatest marvel of all in our eyes to see Jesus, the cornerstone, exulted above all things.


"The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes"