Total Forgiveness

James Cathcart October 25, 2026 1 0

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Genesis 50: 15–21 (NIV-UK)

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?’ 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, ‘Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 “This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.” Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.’ When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. ‘We are your slaves,’ they said.

19 But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

The Bible is not a book. It’s a place. It’s not something we read, it’s somewhere we go. 

It’s somewhere we go to cry, celebrate, rest and hope; to discover and rage and learn — bit by bit —how to forgive.

On the death of their father, Joseph stands before his brothers, those same brothers who sold him into slavery all those years ago. He weeps, he comforts them, and he chooses total forgiveness — again.

A new wound
to open old wounds.

A sore place
and a witness lost.

A rake going over old ground
disturbing leaves and dirt.

But Joseph isn’t God
and doesn’t want to play God.

Joseph doesn’t want slaves
he wants brothers.

Joseph doesn’t want to be feared
he wants to be reconciled.

For Joseph the forgiveness is on-going
even if for the brothers ‘being forgiven’ is something they pick up and put down.

A kind word
for old wounds.

A safe place
to witness what was lost.

A spade to turn over the ground
and plant something new.

Prayer:

Dear God

We bring before you

the new wounds

that open the old wounds,

the painful memories

the regrets and debts.

Help us learn to forgive

and give us the resources to forgive.

To forgive is to write a cheque for money we may not have.

So we come to your reserves of grace

that you might credit us 

and allow us to borrow against the promissory note — of the love we will grow

as we learn to forgive

bit by bit.

Amen.