Heart and Soul: Biblical Studies Dear Father . . . A letter marking a changed life 14 (1038) | www.AdventistReview.org | November 21, 2013
BY SYLVIA RENZ Steve Creitz © www.goodsalt.com My dear Father, When you hold this letter in your hands, you will have already greeted my brothers and will have heard that I am still alive. I know it must be hard <strong>to</strong> believe. You saw my coat, ripped and splattered with blood. You thought I was dead—<strong>to</strong>rn <strong>to</strong> pieces by a wild animal. But the blood on my coat was not mine. A little lamb died, and I am alive. My heart bursts with joy over the thought of seeing you again. I have longed <strong>to</strong> see you for many years. I wish you would come <strong>to</strong> me with the whole family. I have already prepared everything for you: houses, herds, stables, and apartments for the shepherds. Everything is ready, and your new home will be in the best part of the country, in Goshen. If you still doubt the news, please step outside your tent. You will see a carriage with Pharaoh’s coat of arms. It’s my carriage I have sent <strong>to</strong> you, so you may travel comfortably <strong>to</strong> Egypt. Lose no time in departing, because the famine will last another five years, and I do not want my family <strong>to</strong> suffer any longer. Come <strong>to</strong> me in Egypt, and I will take care of you, because I am at the source of food. Father, you must be shaking your head right now. Let me explain <strong>to</strong> you what has happened in the past years. *** But first things first: please forgive my brothers. I forgave them long ago for what they did <strong>to</strong> me. Forgive them as well. We were all young and foolish then. They allowed anger <strong>to</strong> take control of them. They saw your great love for me and were jealous. I was immature and boasted with your love, as if I were better than they were. Remember, you made me that special coat with long sleeves. It was truly fit for a prince, and I wore it with pride. But I didn’t realize the pain it caused my brothers. They felt second-best. Do you remember the two dreams? I dreamed that my brothers’ sheaves would bow down before my sheaf, and that the sun and moon and 11 stars showed me reverence. I didn’t know then what those dreams meant, but I felt good about them. You know me: I was never satisfied with being mediocre. I wanted <strong>to</strong> reach the very <strong>to</strong>p, and you mostly supported me in this. The second dream went <strong>to</strong>o far, you said, but I did not make it up. It came <strong>to</strong> me, unbidden, but not undesired (sigh). Yes, I admit that I was arrogant and vain. But, thank God, life has taken care of that. *** How long has it been? Twenty-two years? You also have probably never forgotten that day. You sent me <strong>to</strong> look for my brothers. They had roamed far, seeking fresh pasture for our sheep. After not hearing from them for a long time, you got worried. I got lost on the way, so it <strong>to</strong>ok me a few days <strong>to</strong> find my brothers and our herds. I have traveled <strong>to</strong> you so many times in my thoughts. The very sight of me made them angry. Maybe they thought I was spying on them. I had done it often enough, and now I am sad about it, because it created a wall between us. But now this wall has been <strong>to</strong>rn down, because we are reconciled <strong>to</strong> one another and have forgiven one another. So I plead with you: forgive them also. Forgive them for lying <strong>to</strong> you. They broke your heart when they <strong>to</strong>ld you I was dead. In reality they dumped me in<strong>to</strong> a dry cistern. I thought that would be my end; the walls were so steep—I never would have been able <strong>to</strong> get out on my own again. That night in the cistern was terrible! My only consolation was in seeing the stars. They shone unwaveringly upon me, and I felt as if they were calling <strong>to</strong> me: Do not be afraid. Above the starry sky is a living God. Do not be downcast. God sees you. God cares for you. Initially, however, it didn’t seem as though God cared. The next morning my brothers pulled me out of the cistern. They were still angry. They wanted <strong>to</strong> get rid of me. Fortunately, they did not kill me, but sold me <strong>to</strong> traders. Father, please do not punish my brothers. They did not know what they were doing. They wanted <strong>to</strong> hurt me, but God used it <strong>to</strong> shape and bless me. After all, that’s what really counts, isn’t it, Father? The slave traders treated me like lives<strong>to</strong>ck. They tied my hands and dragged me along—no use weeping and wailing. They made camp for the night quite close <strong>to</strong> our tents. I was so hoping that one of our shepherds would come along and see me. He would have set me free, and I would have returned <strong>to</strong> you immediately. But no! None of our people were <strong>to</strong> be seen. Then our path led through the mountains of Seir. Your brother, Esau, lives there and requires a <strong>to</strong>ll from all the traveling caravans. But his soldiers did not recognize me. At first I was bitterly disappointed and thought God had forgotten me. But now I know: I needed <strong>to</strong> come <strong>to</strong> Egypt. And you will also understand why I had <strong>to</strong> come here. *** In Egypt one of Pharaoh’s officers bought me. Potiphar was the captain of the royal bodyguard. He had a big house and many slaves. At first I was given humble jobs <strong>to</strong> do. I <strong>to</strong>ok great pains in doing them well. Father, I thank you that I learned <strong>to</strong> work at home. You taught me <strong>to</strong> do tasks thoroughly and conscientiously. And I have felt every day, every hour, that God is close <strong>to</strong> me. I did all my work with God watching over me, and I was successful. Gradually, I gained the trust of my master. Potiphar promoted me <strong>to</strong> his personal assistant and left me <strong>to</strong> manage his entire household. It was an exciting time! In Potiphar’s palace I met famous Egyptians, military commanders, and officials, because everyone with name and rank was Potiphar’s guest. I s<strong>to</strong>od quietly in the background at these feasts, but my ears and eyes were wide open. I learned about politics and www.AdventistReview.org | November 21, 2013 | (1039) 15
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