Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost 16th August 2020

Genesis 45.1–15                              

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Send everyone away from me.’ So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come closer to me.’ And they came closer. He said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.” And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honoured in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.’ Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him. .

Matthew 15.21–28

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’  He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

Reflection:

There are two points that I want to bring forth from our readings today- first from the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph finds himself in a situation whereby he could punish his brothers for what they did to him. He has the opportunity for retribution, to really avenge the appalling malice they inflicted upon him, selling him into slavery and banishing him from his father.  But he doesn’t. He doesn’t use his power for evil (False justice).

Instead, Joseph is able to look upon the hardest days of his life and see the hand of God working for himself and for all of God’s people. He’s able to look upon the awful experience of being forsaken by family, sold as a slave, and then exploited and put into jail – as God moving mightily to save His people and all the people of that corner of the world from famine.

Personally, my first thought would have been to ask God, “Wasn’t there an easier way?” Couldn’t we have just postponed the famine? Or, have Joseph send his credentials to Pharaoh after Pharaoh had his troubling dreams? Did it really take all of the suffering and torment that Joseph must have gone through?

Any yet, what the story of Joseph exemplifies is the understanding that God does not promise to take away all possibility of pain and discomfort–but rather God promises to be with us through it all. God promises to make great things happen, but not all great things come easily.

Isn’t this a theme we find throughout the scripture stories- Especially as we remember the birth and life of Jesus our Lord. We find that great things come from humble beginnings. Laid in a manger, no other accommodation or comfort available. Having to flee to Egypt and live in exile. Then to not be accepted as God’s only Son. He was persecuted, mocked and crucified for the forgiveness of all. Through Jesus’ suffering we receive forgiveness and salvation.

Our culture always seems to highlight the quick, the easy, the painless. Just pop this pill. Just exercise 10 minutes a day. No salt, no sugar, take antioxidants or do intermittent fasting. Just get this particular qualification or apply here and be your won boss. The list goes on of all the quick fix ways the world offers.

But, the biblical view of life is that God doesn’t always look for the path of least resistance. Sometimes God asks us to walk through fiery furnaces or bear a cross. Sometimes our faith is tested. I suggest that this is certainly how it is living in the world today. Not only in Pandemic, but as we see disasters, protests, injustice and so much more.

But, on the other side of the valley we are always presented with the reality that God’s never left us. We spoke about that last week. God is there to catch hold of us as it were. And life is now able to flourish, in the most beautiful and holiest of ways. My prayer continues to be that all will turn to him. We look for the day when every tongue will confess and every knee will bow before him. 

I suggest however it is more than just an easy way. You see sometimes our faith is tested. And this leads me to our second point. The Canaanite woman who pleads to Jesus- have mercy. This woman and her perseverance is heart breaking. It’s a strange sort of story as it seems at first that Jesus is being quite rude to her in the way he speaks. I have to wonder though if he is testing her- seeing whether she understands the power of God that leaks from even the crumbs of Gods goodness. 

The Canaanite woman is an outsider, she invites us to question clean and unclean and challenges cultural boundaries. But, notice that she recognises Jesus for who he is- Son of David.  She acknowledges his kingship as she kneels before him. She is not deterred. 

Jesus responds to her speaking of his mission to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He likens her as a Gentile to the status of a small pet dog who beg under the table. Yet the woman persists and claims not only her position of value but also she recognises the hope in the power of even a tiny morsel of God’s power. Even a crumb is powerful enough to defeat the demon that has possessed her daughter.

Jesus praises her faith. This woman seems to understand what the members of the household of Israel have yet to grasp. Jesus is not just hope for Israel, but hope for the world.

God’s plan is not always as we might imagine it and yet trusting and persevering in our situation will bring blessing. It may not be what we expect, but Gods goodness is for all people. Just as Joseph saw that God’s purpose was to help all people and through Joseph’s trials, he would be able to glorify God through generosity and witnessing to the prudence of Gods guidance. Likewise, the Canaanite woman experienced God’s healing and saving grace that is available for all.  

Fortunately, we do not know what the future may bring, we do however know that our God loves all people, he has no discrimination, he is quick to forgive and generous to those who call on his name. We live in the present- times. Like the times of Joseph and the times of the Canaanite woman, these are times when we are called as Christians to persevere, to pray for those in need and to forgive often and share Gods generous love with all. Even a crumb of his love and power can transform, save and heal.

The story of Joseph displays the understanding that God does not promise to take away all possibility of pain and discomfort– but rather God promises to continue to be with us. God will heal us, and good things will happen, but not all great things come easily. And not all great things happen as and when we expect. And yes there are times when like the Canaanite woman our faith is tested. So, remember, that God has a plan. May we follow his leading, wait for him to do what is necessary and have the grace to recognise it when it comes. Amen.