So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭45‬:‭3‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬
And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And 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 yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And 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.”

Yesterday was my 51st birthday. As I was thinking about the last few years of my life, one word seems to be a theme — “Reconciliation”. I have been able to reconcile with so many in life and I have seen much reconciliation among family and friends.

There are some things that have to happen to get down the path to reconciliation: 1) Forgiveness, 2) Making Amends, and 3) the other person has to decide to repair the relationship with you — to meet you in the middle so to speak.

I was named after my grandpa, Joseph Michael Griley. He was a huge blessing to so many in his family and in his church. I was also named after Joseph in the Bible.

Joseph had a very interesting life. He started out as one of the youngest brothers and he was his dad’s favorite. This angered and embittered his older brothers immensely. They eventually threw him in a pit and sold him into slavery, in retaliation to their father’s favoritism. Along the way, Joseph was falsely accused of misconduct with his boss’s wife and thrown in jail. Then he interpreted dreams and asked those he helped to remember him to the Pharaoh. They forgot about him.

Finally, the Pharaoh heard about his ability to interpret dreams and called for him. He interpreted the dream of the Pharaoh with God’s power, though all the other wise men the Pharaoh talked to could not. He was given the signet ring of the Pharaoh and made second-in-command.
Joseph had to learn how to forgive Potiphar and his wife, and his cell mates who forgot about him.

When the famine hit (he had stored up food), here came his brothers who had thrown him into a pit and sold him into slavery. They were looking for food. So Joseph was faced with a decision: He could have taken revenge on them, or he could have simply ignored them and not helped them. Even kinder still, he could have helped them but not revealed who he was. But instead of all of these things, by God’s power and work in his life, Joseph forgave them and helped them. All of the years of pain and the resulting anger and bitterness that came … had left him. He was FREE TO FORGIVE! And in the years ahead he reconciled with them.

As I think about my family and friends, my birthday wish this year, above all else, is that you will know the God of forgiveness and reconciliation and his son Jesus. That my family, much of whom has come to Idaho lately, will continue to reconcile with each other, through the help of Jesus. Then we all can experience the incredible joy to be found in reconciliation! I love you all!

Lord, thank you for your reconciliation stories which show up, like eternally bright blessings all around me. I have been someone who has needed to be forgiven of much, as I have made quite a few mistakes and sinned a lot. Somehow, you have allowed me to reconcile with family and friends, in ways I could not have done on my own. Thank you for the gift of reconciliation! May your relationship repair work continue all around me!