Presence of Tears

Joseph certainly would have had a lot of emotions come to the surface upon seeing his brothers; emotions that he had tried to repress for almost twenty years. However, when he saw his little brother Benjamin, his only full brother, he could no longer contain his feelings and they came flooding out. Genesis 43:30 says, “Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.” Joseph was not just going to shed a few tears. He was looking for a place to break down. 

Later, when Benjamin is set up to look like a thief and sentenced to die, Judah steps up and says to take his life instead. Now, Judah is the brother who spoke up when Joseph was thrown into the pit and suggested that they sell him into slavery to make some money. The same brother who said to sell Joseph into slavery, is now the same brother 20 years later who says to take his life for Benjamin’s. Then we read in 45, verses 1-2, “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. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.”

Joseph's overcome with emotion. Think about who he is: He is the second most powerful man in the world. He is a man who has spent most of his life as a slave and imprisoned. He has learned to compartmentalize his emotions, but in this moment, it's just too much. He can't do it. This is the third time in the story we read of Joseph crying. When deliverance is taking place, tears are often present. Tears can be an indication of supernatural deliverance that is taking place in your life or in the life of someone else. 

Reflection/Discussion Question: When have you experienced tears as an indication of deliverance in your life or the life of someone you know?