TUESDAY 30TH APRIL 2019 MORNING
Genesis 45:1-15 New International Version (NIV)
Joseph Makes Himself Known
1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping.7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.[a]
8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’
12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.
Footnotes:
- Genesis 45:7 Or save you as a great band of survivors
Joseph showed love and forgiveness to his brothers even though they had sold him into slavery. He didn’t complain about what happened to him but saw God’s hand in everything. Joseph is a powerful example of a person dedicated to God. Even when he was wrongly imprisoned he didn’t complain but served God in that place.
Let us learn from Joseph how we should serve God faithfully wherever He has placed us.
JUMANNE TAREHE 30 APRILI 2019 ASUBUHI
MWANZO 45:1-15
1 Hapo Yusufu hakuweza kujizuia mbele yao wote waliosimama karibu naye. Akapiga kelele, na kusema, Mwondoeni kila mtu mbele yangu. Wala hakusimama mtu pamoja naye, Yusufu alipojitambulisha kwa nduguze.
2 Akapaza sauti yake akalia, nao Wamisri wakasikia. Watu wa nyumba ya Farao nao wakasikia.
3 Yusufu akawaambia ndugu zake, Mimi ndimi Yusufu; baba yangu angali hai bado? Wala ndugu zake hawakuweza kumjibu, maana waliingiwa na hofu mbele yake.
4 Yusufu akawaambia ndugu zake, Karibuni kwangu; basi, wakakaribia. Akasema, Mimi ni Yusufu, ndugu yenu, ambaye mliniuza kwenda Misri.
5 Basi sasa, msihuzunike, wala msiudhike nafsi zenu, kwa kuniuza huku; maana Mungu alinipeleka mbele yenu kuhifadhi maisha ya watu.
6 Maana miaka hii miwili njaa imekuwa katika nchi, na iko tena miaka mitano isiyo na kulima wala kuvuna.
7 Mungu alinipeleka mbele yenu kuwahifadhia masazo katika nchi, na kuwaokoa ninyi kwa wokovu mkuu.
8 Basi si ninyi mlionipeleka huku, ila Mungu; naye ameniweka kama baba kwa Farao, na bwana katika nyumba yake yote, na mtawala katika nchi yote ya Misri.
9 Fanyeni haraka, mmwendee baba yangu, mkamwambie, Hivi ndivyo asemavyo mwanao Yusufu, Mungu ameniweka kuwa bwana katika Misri yote, basi unishukie, usikawie.
10 Nawe utakaa katika nchi ya Gosheni, utakuwa karibu nami, wewe, na wanao, na wana wa wanao, na wanyama wako, ng'ombe zako, na yote uliyo nayo. Nami nitakulisha huko;
11 maana bado imesalia miaka mitano ya njaa; usije ukaingia katika uhitaji, wewe, na nyumba yako, na yote uliyo nayo.
12 Na tazama, macho yenu yanaona, na macho ya ndugu yangu Benyamini, ya kwamba ni kinywa changu mimi kinachosema nanyi.
13 Nanyi mtamwarifu baba yangu habari za fahari yangu yote katika Misri, na za vyote mlivyoviona; mkafanye haraka kumleta huku baba yangu.
14 Akaanguka shingoni mwa ndugu yake Benyamini, akalia; Benyamini naye akalia shingoni mwake.
15 Akawabusu ndugu zake wote, akalia nao, baada ya hayo, nduguze wakazungumza naye
Tunasoma hapo juu jinsi Yusufu alionyesha upendo na msamaha kwa kaka zake. Waliogopa kwamba atawatalipiza kisasi kwa ubaya waliomfanyia. Lakini Mungu alimwezesha kuwasamehe.
Yusufu ni mfano mwema kuiga. Kila mahali alipowekwa alifanya kazi kwa bidii na uaminifu. Alikuwa na maadili mema na alishinda majaribu.
Tujifunze kutoka kwa Yusufu na Mungu atusaidie kuwa waaminifu siku zote.
