The last chapter in the long and strange life of Jacob. Here, he dies and the royalty of Egypt accompanies his sons to Canaan for his burial. But the “restorative justice” story of Joseph lives on. Only now that their father is dead do his brothers think it might be good to apologise for trying to kill him and selling him into slavery.

They do so, and after all those years, they formally receive forgiveness. What is it with that delay? Why do they wait so long and is there any allegorical message in it for us?

The way of forgiveness is slow and not without pain and punishment in Joseph’s story, and I have been reading about it while our Lutheran magazine talks all about “restorative justice” – a process that takes justice out of court and into a process where victim and perpetrator work through the pain together with a moderator.

There are three stages to it: “reflect, repair and reconnect”. We’ve been trying it in our family. Children must sit on their bottoms while the hurt party “reflects” on their pain and then the hurter must talk about what led to their behaviour.

Then they try to “repair” the process that went wrong, by talking about how they could have handled it otherwise….

Finally they “reconnect” with words of sorrow and forgiveness and a hug.

Dear Father God,

Thank you for the lessons that you have brought together for me while I read Genesis. Please help me continue to grow as I keep reading your word. Thank you for my faith, the love in my life and my family and food and shelter. Please help me continue to walk your path, In Jesus’ name, Amen.