We trust in God’s steadfast love and mercy. We trust that God will redeem us from where we suffer in the depths. We hope and wait. For with the Lord, there is steadfast love.

We no longer live in a place where we can worship God in the “temple” whenever we’d like and we’ve been on a pilgrimage, of sorts, for five long months to get back there. On the way, let the Song of Ascent remind us, with each step, that each attempt we make to live in unity with our kindred is a moment when soothing, healing oil is poured over our parched skin.

A staged crime scene. A cover-up. A conspiracy amongst brothers. Genesis 37:29-36 is one scene in the long, twisting saga that tells the story of our patriarchs. Specifically, this scene belongs in the story of Jacob and his beloved son Joseph.