Heart To Heart Communication

Scripture: Genesis 50:15-21

As for you, you meant evil against me, {but} God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive [Genesis 5:20].

Israel blessed his sons on his death bed, and then lay down to sleep. Joseph wept bitterly because his father, in whom he loved dearly, was now dead. There was a time of mourning for 70 days in the land of Egypt, after the death of Israel. When it was time to bury Israel, Joseph asked permission from Pharoah to bury his father in the land of Caanaan. Pharoah granted him permission, and also allowed a large company under his leadership to accompany Joseph, to bury his father; during his time of lost.

Once Joseph's father was buried, his brothers began to panick. They thought that he would repay them the evil, that they had brought on him; through selling him into slavery. They're fear made them create a scenario that did not even exist in his mind. When they told Joseph that they would be his slaves, he told them that what they meant for evil, God meant it for Good; and that he was not in God's place.

He told them what had happened, happened in order to bring the family together, and to perserve life for many others. He also told them that he would take care of them, and their little ones. The family was completely restored because of God's plan for their lives, which allowed Joseph to have a forgiving heart towards his brothers.

Reflection:
Our conscious sometimes gets the best of us. Sometimes, we have a habit of thinking the worst of something, rather than thinking the best. When we began to try an analyze how someone else is thinking, we get completely off track, and began creating scenarios that do not even exist. That's why it is best to communicate with one another, about what is on our minds; so that there is complete clarity in our relationships. When we communicate with one another, we create healthy relationships that continually expand and develop for purpose.

Even though Joseph brothers were afraid of what possibly could happen because of their past deeds, they kept the lines of communication open between them, and their brother. Their willingless to be bare before their little brother, opened up all of their hearts, towards complete reconciliation.

Prayer:
Father God, I thank you for allowing me to see as you see; and to not hold any grudges, regardless of what has happened to me in my past. I realize that holding on to past offenses, will only block my progress in you. I desire to be complete in you, therefore, I release any and all offenses that would blind the vision; that you have placed in me. I thank you for giving me a forgiving heart, that no offense can penetrate. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Strong's Concordance Definitions:

As for you, you meant: 2803
1) to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count

a) (Qal)
1) to think, account
2) to plan, devise, mean
3) to charge, impute, reckon
4) to esteem, value, regard
5) to invent
b) (Niphal)
1) to be accounted, be thought, be esteemed
2) to be computed, be reckoned
3) to be imputed
c) (Piel)
1) to think upon, consider, be mindful of
2) to think to do, devise, plan
3) to count, reckon
d) (Hithpael) to be considered


Evil: 7463
1) friend, friend of the king (technical sense)

Against: 5921
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
e) over (of suspension or extension)
f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to,, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
h) to (as a dative)
conj
2) because that, because, notwithstanding, although

me, but God: 430
1) (plural)

a) rulers, judges
b) divine ones
c) angels
d) gods
2) (plural intensive - singular meaning)
a) god, goddess
b) godlike one
c) works or special possessions of God
d) the (true) God
e) God
it for good: 2899
Tob-adonijah = "my Lord is good"

1) one of the Levites sent by Jehoshaphat through the cities of Judah to teach the law to the people

In order: 4616
1) purpose, intent

prep
a) for the sake of
b) in view of, on account of
c) for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to
conj
d) to the end that

To bring about: 6213
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

a) (Qal)
1) to do, work, make, produce
a) to do
b) to work
c) to deal (with)
d) to act, act with effect, effect
2) to make
a) to make
b) to produce
c) to prepare
d) to make (an offering)
e) to attend to, put in order
f) to observe, celebrate
g) to acquire (property)
h) to appoint, ordain, institute
i) to bring about
j) to use
k) to spend, pass
b) (Niphal)

1) to be done
2) to be made
3) to be produced
4) to be offered
5) to be observed
6) to be used
c) (Pual) to be made
2) (Piel) to press, squeeze

present: 3117
1) day, time, year

a) day (as opposed to night)
b) day (24 hour period)
1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1
2) as a division of time
a) a working day, a day's journey
c) days, lifetime (pl.)
d) time, period (general)
e) year
f) temporal references

1) today
2) yesterday
3) tomorrow

Result to perserve: 2421
1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
a) (Qal)
1) to live
a) to have life
b) to continue in life, remain alive
c) to sustain life, to live on or upon
d) to live (prosperously)
2) to revive, be quickened
a) from sickness
b) from discouragement
c) from faintness
d) from death
b) (Piel)
1) to preserve alive, let live
2) to give life
3) to quicken, revive, refresh
a) to restore to life
b) to cause to grow
c) to restore
d) to revive
c) (Hiphil)

1) to preserve alive, let live
2) to quicken, revive
a) to restore (to health)
b) to revive
c) to restore to life

References:
Blue Letter Bible. "Book of Beginnings - Genesis 50 - (NASB - New American Standard Bible)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2010. 20 Jan 2010, http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Gen&c=50&t=NASB

Higgins, S. (2010). A Forgiving Heart. Devotions for Thought. Higgins Publishing. Http://www.devotionsforthought.blogspot.com, http://www.higginspublishing.com