Joseph can play the game of remaining unknown to his brothers any longer. Now many years of pain and hurt are released with great emotion (v1-2).

Joseph’s brothers, as you would imagine, are terrified (v3). The man they had sold as a slave is now the second most powerful man in Egypt and he holds their lives in his hands.

Joseph acts though with wonderful grace and calls those who are rightly terrified to come closer (v4). Here we have a picture of God’s love. The God we should fear because of His wrath and our sinfulness, calls us to come close through Jesus.

One of the reasons why Joseph could act with such grace was His trust in God’s loving providence (v5-8). In all that was happening Joseph knew God had a wonderful plan, even in the treacherous actions of his brothers.

It is this knowledge which can enable us to have great confidence in difficult days and even act in love towards those who mistreat us.