God Sent Me

(Genesis 42-45)

I find reading these chapters very encouraging, and very challenging as well. God is at work in every circumstance; we just have difficulty seeing it sometimes. Joseph rises to second in command in Egypt and begins to store up grain for the coming famine. When the famine comes, Israel sends his sons to Egypt to buy grain and Joseph is reunited with his family. It is a God thing. Sometimes things happen in such a way that all we can say is... it is a God thing.

A couple of things really leap from the pages for me. First, Joseph's attitude when he meets his brothers again after they had sold him into slavery. I don't know about you, but I might have had a difficult time treating them well. He toys with them, but never punishes them. For a time, he hides his identity from them and seeks information about his father and his younger brother, Benjamin. He sends them back home with grain, but keeps one of the brothers, Simeon as insurance that they will come back and bring his younger brother with them. They arrive back home and when the grain is all gone, Israel sends them back again, this time with Benjamin. When they arrive, he is overjoyed to see his brothers and after a few more games, he reveals his identity and everyone hugs and cries.

Think about it, he is sold into slavery, accused of rape, spends time in prison and still loves his brothers who caused it all. What is Joseph's reaction throughout this event? Over and over, he goes away and weeps. Tears of joy. Tears of regrets. Tears of sorrow. Without a doubt, he had a range of emotions to deal with. But he still loved his family! After everything he went through, he still loved his brothers. Forgiveness. It is a God thing.

Secondly, instead of blaming God and having bitterness towards Him for what had happened to him, Joseph chose to see that God had been working through it all. "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance." (ch 45, vv 4-7) No slavery, no Potiphar; no Potiphar, no prison; no prison, no dream interpreting; no dream interpreting, no Pharaoh; no Pharaoh, no grain; no grain, no food for family during the famine. Sometimes it is difficult to connect the dots and we have to just trust that God is at work. Other times, we see it clearly. But either way, He is working; whether we see and understand or not doesn't change His working. Joseph understood that. We need to. It is a God thing.

Lastly, the Bible is the story of God. We sometimes forget that His word exists as a revelation of Him. We read the story of Joseph and his brothers and we think this story is about them, it isn't! They a small part players in an epic story. The story is God. So, what does he reveal about Himself in the story of Joseph. He reveals that He is always there. In the pit, in the house, in the prison and in the palace, God was there with Joseph. He reveals that He is always at work. Interpreting dreams, granting favor, giving success, God was working in Josephs life in every circumstance. And He reveals His love for His people. Seven years of surplus, preparation for seven years of famine. God knew the need long before they did and He took care of the future for them. God is always there, He is always at work for our benefit and He loves us and cares for us.

No matter where you are in your life, the pit, the prison or the palace, God loves you and He is working for your best interests. You may not see it today, you may not see it for years, but if you trust Him, you will see it. He sent His Son to tell you that He loves you and He sent His Son to die in your place. He loves you and He is working for your best interests. Joseph tells us this very clearly; he wants you to know that God was working everything out in his life and that He is doing the same for you. This week has been a tough week for me, lots of issues to deal with; from my daughter leaving home to take a job seven hours away to some real difficult situations at my office. But in the midst of all of this, I am confidant that God is working, I don't see it today; but faith demands that I trust Him in every situation and I do. God bless.