Heart of Truth

Joseph hurried out,

for he was deeply stirred over his brother,

and he sought a place to weep;

and he entered his chamber

and wept there.

Genesis 43:30

The brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin and with gifts ready to present to the one who was ruler over the land, Joseph. When the brothers came before Joseph the first time, they bowed before him, and Joseph remembered his dream—the dream of the sheaves and the dream of the sun, moon, and stars bowing down before him.

God does not place dreams in our hearts and in our minds that He does not plan to bring to fruition. He will accomplish what He begins in us, not in our time and not in our ways, but accomplish it He will.

When Joseph lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, he was overcome and he left to find a place to weep. Real men love with all their hearts. Joseph wept and Jesus wept (John 11:35, Hebrews 5:7). Their tears were not for show, not to win pity, not to get their way, but for love. Their tears were for the glory of God and for His faithfulness.

We are allowed the privilege of seeing right into the heart of Joseph through the Word of God. Through the recorded life of Joseph, we are able to see right into the heart of Jesus, and from the heart of Jesus, right into the heart of God. The Word of God is the heart of God lay bare and open before us. We see His love for us. We see His faithfulness toward us. We also see His strength and His righteousness and His patience. It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

Joseph dries his tears, washes his face, and returns to his brothers in complete control of his emotions, “for the love of Christ controls us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Only by the power and grace of God has Joseph been able to control himself at this point, for if we walk by the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

It has been close to twenty years since Joseph has seen his little brother, but God has not allowed Joseph to reveal himself as of yet, and so Joseph waits, for now is not the time. It is easy for us to allow emotions to control us. We must not forget that our hearts can still deceive us, but we know that “God is greater than our heart” (1 John 3:20). Joseph’s heart was overwhelmed with emotion, and he knew he needed to leave the situation before he acted on these emotions instead of the will of God.

My friend, you have heard let your heart be your guide?

This is a lie, let the truth be your guide.

Let the Holy Spirit and the Word of God be your guide.

Oh Father,

How I long for the day that my Jesus is revealed in all His glorious splendor. Oh, for the day “when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire” (2 Thessalonians 1:7). As I wait for You, my Lord and my King, I pray that I will be diligent to be found by You in peace, spotless and blameless, and that I will regard Your patience as salvation.

I pray that I will not fall from my own steadfastness, but that I will grow in grace and knowledge of You, my Savior (2 Peter 3:14–18). I pray that each day I will walk by Your Spirit that You have given me as a pledge of my inheritance and my assurance that I am Yours. To You be all the glory forever.

My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.