Genesis 45:1-8 - “Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Send everyone away from me.’ So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come closer to me.’ And they came closer. He said, ‘I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.’ “
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If you’ve been following these Reflections this year or in past years, you will remember that the story of Joseph is one of my favorites. The messages it delivers -- God’s faithfulness over time, how we should align ourselves with His plan for us, the view we should take on life’s challenges, the beauty of reconciliation -- have always resounded deeply with me.
Today we see the story of Joseph and his brothers coming to an end. Joseph lifts the veil, disclosing that he is their brother whom they sold into slavery many years past. Joseph’s weeping and tears represent a burden set aside. He is thankful for having stayed the course over his lifetime, letting God lead the way. He is filled with the joy of being with his family again. He is praising God for removing the anger and hatred he should rightly feel for having been treated so poorly by his own brothers, but rather being filled with the joy of relationships restored.
Joseph is described as having “wept so loudly”. Why was he weeping? Wasn’t he happy? I have always been intrigued by the uniquely human act of shedding tears. Isn’t it interesting that the physical reaction to our greatest joy and our greatest sorrow manifests itself in the same way...by shedding tears? Also as interesting to me is the word used to described how these emotions, existing on opposite ends of the spectrum, make us feel “filled” or “full”. We can describe these situations as being “filled with joy” or “filled with sorrow”. If we think about it, the use of that word is really the only way to describe what is happening in our hearts, souls and minds during these experiences. Is it also not interesting that God’s intense presence with us is also described in the same way, being “filled with the Holy Spirit”?
I think of it this way. When we have these times of great sorrow, our souls need the presence of the Holy Spirt...of God...in order that we are not permanently torn and broken beyond repair. He is there to comfort us. When we have great joy, God is also there, saying to us, “What you are feeling is just a tiny taste, a glimpse of what it will be like when we are together again in Heaven.” In either of these situations, we are filled. I picture us as vessels, filled with tears; tears of joy and sorrow. When you take a glass which is already full and drop in a slice of lemon or a few ice cubes, the water spills out over the rim, making room for what has been added. When the Holy Spirit comes into us during these times, something has to come out. These tears we cry are evidence that God is with us and has come into us to comfort our sorry and share our joy.
So, don’t be afraid to shed a tear every once in awhile. Rejoice in the knowledge that these tears are evidence that God is with you. For when we hold the tears in, push them back inside, we don’t make room for the Holy Spirit and restrict ourselves from being filled.
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