Genesis 45:16-48:7

Joseph's story continues. He is reunited with his father, Israel, who is retrieved by some ofhis sons and brought to the land of Egypt. On the way, Israel has a dream in which God confirms to Israel that he should journey to Egypt, and reaffirms His covenant, telling him that "there [i.e., in Egypt] I will make you a great nation." Joseph rides out to meet his father, Israel, in a scene that reminds me of the parable of the Prodigal Son. Joseph exclaims, "At last I can die, now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive", calling to mind the story of Simeon in the temple when Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to be presented at the temple. The story goes on to describe how Joseph is able to husband and then share all of the resources of Egypt to get its people through the famine, but in exchange they are forced to give up all their money and possessions, and eventually to hand themselves over as slaves to Pharaoh, in exchange for the food they need to live. At first I found this unsettling and distasteful even. But thinking more about it, doesn't Jesus ask us to give up our money and possessions and even our lives to follow Him? Perhaps not literally, but in our attachment to these things.