Repurposed by God 被神赋予重新使命

[Dexu Xia]

[Joseph] kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Genesis 45:15

Today's Scripture Genesis 45:12-15, 21-27

Today's Insights  Genesis 45 describes a beautiful experience of forgiveness and reconciliation. Joseph had risen from being a slave in Egypt to someone with incredible power as Pharaoh’s second in command (41:43). Joseph could have chosen to exact revenge on his brothers for selling him into slavery. Instead, he offered grace: “Do not be angry with yourselves” (45:5). The reason Joseph gives is that God had still brought about good even through their wrongdoing—saving the lives of His people (v. 7). His story is a reminder that even when people fail, God is still at work for good. Because Jesus has extended grace to us, we can offer grace to others

Today's Devotional  In the early 1930s, Cleo McVicker came up with a product that could be used as wallpaper cleaner. Back then, most homes were heated by coal, and walls became covered in soot. Cleo’s invention could be rolled over wallpaper and would pick up the grime. Well, the wallpaper cleaner never became popular, but decades later, a teacher used Cleo’s product in her classes to create Christmas ornaments. From that was born a new company—Rainbow Crafts—and the wallpaper cleaner was repurposed as a popular children’s toy: “Play-Doh.”

On a far greater scale, God has a way of repurposing people. We remember the biblical story of Joseph and his “coat of many colors.” As a young man, he was a lowly shepherd and was sold into slavery by his brothers. But God led Joseph through great difficulties and into the top ranks of government. Eventually Joseph became “repurposed” as “the ruler of all Egypt” (Genesis 45:26). Yet Joseph’s calling was not about power but about grace—something he extended to his brothers as he forgave them (v. 15).

In a sense, all of us are “failed products.” It’s through “the grace of a Son,” Jesus, that we are repurposed into greater things. As you do life today, think of your higher purpose and remember to extend grace to others, just as Christ does for us.

Reflect & Pray  How has God repurposed you in your life journey? What might you learn from the example of Joseph’s life?

Dear God, if I’ve forgotten the grace You’ve called me to, please remind me and help me extend it to others.   

By Kenneth Peterson

[约瑟]亲吻他所有的兄弟，并为他们哭泣。（创世记 45:15）

今日经文：创世记 45:12-15, 21-27

今日洞见：创世记 45 章描述了一段关于饶恕与和解的美好经历。约瑟从埃及的奴隶一跃成为法老的副手，拥有了非凡的权力（41:43）。约瑟本可以选择报复他那些把他卖为奴隶的兄弟们。但他却选择了宽恕：“不要自责”（45:5）。约瑟给出的理由是，即使他们犯了错，神仍然成就了美事，拯救了祂子民的生命（第7节）。他的故事提醒我们，即使人犯了错，神仍然在为他们成就美事。因为耶稣赐予我们恩典，我们也能将恩典传递给他人。

今日灵修： 20世纪30年代初，克莱奥·麦克维克发明了一种可以用作墙纸清洁剂的产品。当时，大多数家庭都用煤炭取暖，墙壁上积满了煤灰。把克莱奥发明清洁剂可以滚涂在墙纸上，就能轻松去除污垢。然而，这种墙纸清洁剂最初并未流行起来。几十年后，一位老师在课堂上用克莱奥的产品制作圣诞装饰品。由此诞生了一家新公司，彩虹工艺品公司（Rainbow Crafts），而墙纸清洁剂也被重新开发，成为流行的儿童玩具，“橡皮泥”。

  从更宏观的角度来看，上帝总有办法重新塑造人。我们记得圣经中约瑟和他那件“彩衣”的故事。年轻时，他只是一个卑微的牧羊人，被他的兄弟们卖为奴隶。但上帝带领约瑟克服重重困难，最终跻身政府高层。最终，约瑟被“重新赋予使命”，成为“埃及全地的统治者”（创世记 45:26）。然而，约瑟的使命并非关乎权力，而是关乎恩典——他将这份恩典延伸到他的兄弟们身上，饶恕了他们（第15节）。 从某种意义上说，我们每个人都是“未完成的产物”。正是通过“儿子的恩典”，也就是耶稣，我们被重新赋予使命，成就更伟大的事。在你今天的生活里，思考你更高的目标，并记住要像基督对待我们一样，将恩典传递给他人。

反思与祷告 在你的人生旅程中，神是如何重新赋予你使命的？你能从约瑟的生平事迹中学到什么？

亲爱的神，如果我忘记你呼召我去行的恩典，请提醒我，并帮助我将这份恩典传递给他人。——肯尼斯·彼得森