Bully's Blog

From Mark Horne’s blog:

The great exchange means you are dealing with Jesus in that Christian who sinned against you.

So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.

So writes Paul to Philemon about his runaway slave, Onesimus.

Notice the exchange that takes place.

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Warren Gage/Christopher Barber and then James Jordan on Joseph’s wisdom:

“How strange Joseph’s behaviour toward his brothers appears to a modern reader! He recognises his brothers immediately but maintains his Egyptian disguise. He speaks harshly to them and then only through an interpreter. He charges them with spying — a capital crime for which he can sentence them to death. He takes one brother as a hostage. He returns their silver as they go home for the first time, and then he sets the brothers up in order to accuse them of stealing his silver cup on their second return trip, at which point he has them arrested. In short, he terrifies them.

What does this all mean? Is Joseph seeking revenge? Clearly that is not the case, for he so loves them he can hardly restrain himself fom revealing his identity — and his forgiveness — to them. Surely he is not vengeful. Why does he act this way? And why does the text go to such lengths to describe all of this?

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A delightful and slightly eccentric friend of mine often writes letters to the local rag to stir things up for Christianity. He has had death threats, but not for a while. His latest letter was a bit different:

To the person or persons who entered my home on the night of 4.11.08 after midnight and stole my wallet and mobile phone, and for some reason a pair of jeans (all done in my bedroom whilst I slept) I just want to say you wasted your time for you can have it all.

Do you think doing that affects me? I have complete peace and assurance in all things from the Lord, because all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, to those who are the called ones according to His purpose; and I have learnt to be anxious over nothing.

Sure, I had to make a few calls to cancel cards and mobile and attend to other matters, like getting another driver’s licence. But those things were just a matter of routine and make life interesting. And thanks for not waking me up for I was somewhat tired that night. Oh, and I forgive your sin against me in the name of the Lord Yeshua, who is the messiah and the Son of God. I have committed you into His hands.

Drop in for a cuppa tea some time.