47_Finishing well

Gen 50:1-3Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.

15-21 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people[b] should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Forgiveness, love, and faith — these are not just virtues but pillars of a life lived well. Consider the words of Gladys Staines after the horrific killing of her husband Graham Staines and their two young sons. She said, “I forgive them because I first received forgiveness from Jesus Christ. I feel the presence of Jesus in my life directly, and this is the ideal that I share. When we forgive others, there is no bitterness, and with God-given grace and peace, we carry on with our lives and carry out the responsibilities entrusted to us.”

The strength that enables someone to forgive in the face of such overwhelming loss is the same grace seen in Joseph’s life. This man lived and died in faith, demonstrating faith, love, and forgiveness despite betrayal, slavery, and separation from family. Genesis 50:15-26 presents the final chapter of Joseph’s journey. It spotlights a man who navigated life’s greatest challenges with unwavering reliance on God. His story reminds us that finishing well depends on whether our hearts remain grounded in God, in pain and prosperity.
Joseph’s love for his father, Jacob, was evident in the way he mourned his death. His grief was profound and honest, as he wept, kissed his father’s face, and arranged for his honorable burial.

Mourning is an expression of love and respect, a way to process loss and remember the life shared. Joseph’s mourning was hopeful, however, since it was accompanied by faith in God’s promises. As God’s people, mourning for the loss of our loved ones is natural and helpful. But while tears may flow and hearts ache, we cling to the assurance of the resurrection, as Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:13: “We do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” We know that death is not the end but, through Jesus Christ, it has become the doorway to being with our Lord. For the believer, mourning is an act of faith — a reminder that life is precious but finite, and that eternity with God awaits.

Yet, mourning must give way to action. Joseph’s love for his father propelled him to honor Jacob not just with tears but with deeds. He petitioned Pharaoh for permission to bury his father in Canaan, as he had commanded. He ensured the embalming, and led the funeral procession. He took the body back to the cave of Machpelah in Canaan, where the rest of his family was buried except for Rachel. Joseph shows us that love is not static. It moves us to fulfill our responsibilities, even amidst grief.

But Joseph’s legacy goes beyond love. His life is also a testament to faith and forgiveness. His brothers, wracked with guilt after their father’s death, feared Joseph might finally take revenge for their betrayal. They fabricated a message, supposedly from Jacob, asking Joseph to forgive them. Yet Joseph’s forgiveness had never been conditional or temporary. He had forgiven them long before, and his response reflected this: “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?”

Joseph’s forgiveness was rooted in his faith in God’s sovereignty. He acknowledged the wrong his brothers had done but refused to let it define his actions. “You meant evil against me,” he said, “but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive” (Genesis 50:20). Joseph saw the bigger picture — God’s redemptive plan that turned their evil into good.

Forgiveness is not merely a release for the wrongdoer; it is liberation for the one wronged. It prevents the poison of bitterness from wreaking damage and death. It allows the peace of God to reign in our hearts. As Jesus taught, we must forgive “seventy times seven,” (Matthew 18:22), continually and unconditionally, just as we have been forgiven. When we forgive, we reflect God’s character and free ourselves to live in his joy and purpose.

Finally, Joseph’s life was marked by an unshakable faith in God’s promises. As his own death approached, Joseph showed that his hope was not fixed on his position in Egypt or to his achievements. It was on God’s covenant promise to bring Israel out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan. He made his family swear to carry his bones with them when God fulfilled that promise, declaring, “God will surely visit you.” (Genesis 50:24).
This act of faith speaks volumes. Joseph’s confidence in God’s word transcended his own lifetime. He didn’t question whether God’s promises would or could come true; he simply trusted that they would. His final request was not for a personal monument, but for his bones to be carried away from Egypt when the Israelites were set free at last. This became a symbol of hope for future generations. When the Israelites left Egypt with his bones, they carried a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness. (Exodus 13:19).

To finish well, we must anchor our lives in God’s promises. Faith is not just about believing for today but trusting in the unseen future. Like Joseph, we live with the assurance that God’s plans are good, even when they unfold beyond our lifetimes. Hebrews 11:22 commends Joseph’s faith, emphasizing that hope in God’s promises is a defining mark of a life well lived.

Joseph was a man who loved deeply, forgave freely, and trusted God completely. Do we love those around us with a selfless and active love? Are we forgiving others as Christ forgave us, or are we holding on to grudges that hinder our peace? Are we living by faith, trusting God’s promises amidst general uncertainty?
To finish well is to leave behind more than tangible achievements; it is to leave a legacy of godliness that inspires others to walk in faith. Like Joseph, our lives should culminate in words and actions that point others to the hope we have in Christ.

Our lives are not our own. Let us live with love, forgive with grace, and trust with unwavering faith so that when our journey ends, we can hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” When our time comes, let us leave behind a testimony that glorifies God and encourages others to trust in Him. God bless you.