FAMILY REUNION -- Devotional for June 27, from "Good Seeds"

Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have all the Egyptians go out of the room.” Left alone with his brothers, he made himself known to them, weeping so loudly all the household of Pharaoh heard it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” (Genesis 45:1-3)

This passage reflects a proud chapter of living history concerning my family of origin. Today marked the culmination of a weeklong family reunion which I and my four siblings have been planning for many months, in conjunction with the celebration of our parents’ 70th wedding anniversary. It is interesting to note the similarities between my family reunion and that of Joseph with his brothers and father those many long years ago…
1) “Have all the Egyptians go out of the room.” All 68 of my parents’ descendants (with their spouses and children) answered the call to come together in one place, from babes in arms to senior citizens with sizeable progeny of our own. And everyone invited showed up. Not one was missing. Call it cliquish if you wish, but there is something to say for exclusivism at such a time as this. Lesson: This was a picture of heaven – and heaven, by definition, will be occupied by (as the old song says) “nothing but the righteous and the holy.”
2) “Left alone with his brothers, he made himself known to them.” For four days we fellowshipped together: eating and drinking, laughing and crying, playing and praying, making ourselves known to one another – and in some cases meeting certain ones for the first time. Lesson: Estrangement disappears when you share meals, games, and deep conversations concerning your life story with your loved ones.
3) “Weeping so loudly all the household of Pharaoh heard it.” But then we gathered at the church hall, joined by extended family as well as precious “friends of the bridegroom” – dearest of Christian friends from days gone by. Lesson: What a blessing to live a long life – and yet NOT so long as to have outlived cherished friends!
4) “Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’” Yes, at ages 90 and 92 Mom and Dad are still alive. Lesson: Have your parents’ funeral while they’re still living, so they can attend, listen in on all the tributes, and get in on all the fun! Another lesson: Why not do the same for other loved ones, especially those you may have been neglecting. Tell them NOW how much they mean to you. Don’t wait for wistful, graveyard goodbyes. What would you prefer, face to face fellowship or a one way conversation with a headstone?