Readers Guide: “The Word for Today” Saturday, September 29, 2012 Read – Genesis 45 & 46 Finally the story comes to a climax as Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. The family is reunited and arrangements are made to bring Jacob down to Egypt. Two things are worth pondering in this climax. First of all Joseph is gracious to his brothers. He might have punished them severely for the way they treated him long ago. After all Joseph now has the power. But Joseph does not “get even” as we are so often tempted to do. In fact, Joseph sees something far more important in all that has happened to him. Joseph sees that it was really God who brought him to Egypt for God’s purposes – his brothers meant it for evil, but God was working good. In fact, we have noticed that this is a story in which what appears to be bad turns out for the good repeated over and over again. There is something for us to learn from that reality in our own lives. Or course, that does not mean that bad things are ultimately good. The actions of Joseph’s brothers were bad. But it does mean the God can work in the midst of bad things and bad actions. The first thing to ponder from this story is the wonder of how God is in the midst of all of it. God is in our lives too. The second thing to notice about this story has to do with the dreams. They are fulfilled. God keeps promises.