But they became anxious when they were brought into Joseph's home, thinking, "It's the money; he thinks we ran off with the money on our first trip down here. And now he's got us where he wants us-he's going to turn us into slaves and confiscate our donkeys." Genesis 43:18 (Message)
Joaeph's way with his brothers after they'd treated him as if he were an enemy pictures well the way God deals with his family. We're inclined to believe that our right versus wrong performance is our pass into God's presence; but the truth is nothing we do can guarantee access into God's presence. God is entirely holy and only the perfect can attain to lifetime privileges of His favor. Through belief in Christ to salvation though, we can be made perfect, bought and brought into a lifelong relationship with Christ, where we live not to earn favor with God but as living proof of our love for Him. As Joseph's brothers sat afraid eating at their brother's table in fear of his avenging their hurting him; many Christians sit in God's presence, fearing His holy side, living with their performance constantly in view rather than allowing God's immeasurable love to be catalyst and control in all they are and do. The call is to live in the love of God, allowing His holy devotion to us to leave us so spellbound and changed that we live to reciprocate His great love. Our concept of God has great bearing on the way we live; as Christians we may find ourselves seeking to live in the "do zone" where we do all we can to earn God's merit; or we may live in the "done zone," where we allow His love to show itself as life-changing in our experience, a love that changes inside-out. When we seek to please God, we fail; when God's love compels us we live pleasing Him.
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