It’s all right.

Ever walked through a door you were dreading, and it turned out to be better than expected?

The brothers had every reason to be afraid. The last time they stood in Egypt, silver had appeared in their sacks that they had not put there. They had looked like thieves.

“So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. ¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.” ¹⁷ The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. ¹⁸ Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.” ¹⁹ So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. ²⁰ “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food. ²¹ But at the place where we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. ²² We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.” ²³ “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.” (Genesis 43 v 15-23)

Guilt fills in the silence with the verdict it expects. Grace fills in the silence with a welcome it hasn’t earned.

They confess, before they are accused. They pour out their explanation. Here are men trying to get ahead of a disaster they are certain is coming.

However, the steward says, ” It’s all right.”

Not an accusation. Not arrest. Peace.

Then Simeon walks out to them. The brother they left behind is free.

They arrived with their explanations and their double silver, but the grace they received had been arranged long before they got there.

Perhaps you are walking toward a door right now that you are certain will go badly. You have rehearsed the worst outcome. But God may have already been in that room, arranging something you could not have imagined. Grace that meets you may arrive sooner than you expect.

Some days we need a friend to simply remind us, “It’s all right.”