Today's Scripture Reading (October 26, 2024): Genesis 45
Back in the
1980s, there was a Christian Artist whose music I enjoyed. Part of what I liked
about him was the time he spent with the youth at his concerts. His name was
Jerry Proppe. He wore a silver yo-yo in a nice case on his belt, and when he
wasn't singing, he talked to the kids and did tricks with the yo-yo. I watched
him closely one day while chatting with some other adults. No kid seemed too
unimportant or unpopular to get his attention. Jerry invested in the kids.
One of the
songs that he sang was called "Walt Disney." This song was written with
adults like me in mind more than the kids. In the song, he talks about the Walt
Disney Show, which used to be on ABC on Sunday nights. He sings about loving to
watch Walt Disney. There was only one problem: Sunday Night Church. Jerry admits
that he would begin watching Walt Disney every Sunday night – but at about ten
minutes to seven, his family would have to leave for church.
What
happened? What happened to Dumbo? What happened to Snow White? To Pinocchio? How
did the story end? The song hit home for me because I had suffered from the
same disease growing up; I saw the beginning of the Walt Disney Show but never
the end of the story.
My problem
went beyond the Walt Disney Show. As I lived my life, I found myself in
situations, and the biggest thing I wanted to know was, "How does this
story end?" Where is this journey taking me? Is there a Prince Charming
just over the horizon coming to rescue me? Genesis ends with the story of a guy
with all these questions. His name was Joseph.
Joseph had
been sold into slavery, but that wasn't the end of his story. And Joseph seemed
to understand that. As his brothers realize that this man they have been
dealing with trying to buy food was their brother, the one they had abused, the
brothers were scared. Once, they held the power, and they had used that power
to hurt Joseph. But the tables had turned, and now Joseph held all the power.
He could do to them what they had done to him. There could be no happy ending
to this story. Joseph's brothers likely wished they could shut the show down
and skip the ending, but they couldn't.
But Joseph
saw a different ending, maybe even one worthy of Walt Disney. Everything had
happened to Joseph according to God's plan. Because of the mean things the sons
of Jacob had done to Joseph, Joseph was in a place where he could save a
remnant of people on the earth. And part of that remnant was the family of
Joseph, including the brothers who had hurt him. What they intended for harm,
God intended for good and for the salvation of those living in Egypt, as well
as the family of Jacob. What could have been a nightmare ending became one about
which even Walt Disney would have been proud to write.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Genesis 46
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