I was preaching from the story of Joseph in Genesis 42. It might be ancient history, but we were drawing lessons for today—for God still works in similar ways. He often pokes at our consciences, or uses circumstances and trials to bring our guilt before our own eyes. Or sometimes He even uses the unsuspecting kindness of others to nudge us towards admission. Why does he do this? Because in order to find forgiveness we need to admit our guilt.

Sometimes we bury things. Deep in the realms of the past. Hidden from everyday remembering. I’m not thinking of things that have happened to us—rather things we have done. Things we regret, things that haunt us when our mind betrays us and stirs up dormant memories.

I was speaking recently about such a group of men. Twenty years had passed since the event. They thought they had got away with it. They had covered their tracks; they had maintained their story.

But God knew. And slowly He began to uncover the buried past. It was a reference here, and comment there. At one level it seemed innocuous enough, but at another level God was poking at their consciences. They thought they had got away with it, He was determined to bring it to light.

Read More