"So please, my lord [Joseph], let me [Judah] stay here as a slave instead of the boy [Benjamin], and let the boy return with his brothers. For how can I return to my father [Jacob] if the boy is not with me? I couldn't bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!" Genesis 44:33-34 NLT
It is interesting to mark the spiritual growth of Bible characters. Judah had been jealous and played a hand in selling Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37). He had been fleshly and deceitful with his daughter-in-law Tamar (Genesis 38). But now faced with the proposition to leave his youngest brother Benjamin in Egypt as a slave he offers his own self for slavery rather than leave his brother and break his father's heart one more time. Jesus said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13 NLT). Fleshly men can become noble men through time and the gracious work of God.
No matter what our past may hold we can become a noble, godly person through God's grace in Christ. We can be something more noble today than we were yesterday and something more noble tomorrow than we are today. "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18 NLT). Keep moving forward in His grace.
Father, I praise Your grace which turns ignoble people into noble. Continue Your work of grace in my life. Forgive my sins. Carry me forward toward Christ-likeness today.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
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Good Morning Pastor Mark, I talk with a lady that just got out of prison(10) days. She needed encouragement to know that God can take someone like her and use her story to glorify Him. I thank God he was able to use me to remind this precious sister how he can use our past failures to make us what He want us to be. So, thank you for this message that let me know that I was speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Love in Christ Francie
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