Joseph and God’s Will

I have really connected with story of Joseph over the last few weeks. He has become a bit of role model as I watch how he intuitively trusts God in the face of all his hardships, injustices, and blessings.

And he does all this without the things that you and I take for granted like a church community, a Bible, and trusted Christian friends who help us make sense of our lives.

Joseph was hated by his brothers and sold into slavery, never to see his family again. Still he trusts God and lives an ethical life in the foreign land of Egypt. And of course, living the godly lifestyle earns him the trust of many because he is an honest man in his heart. But he never descends into bitterness.

Surely, he cried himself to sleep at night asking God, “Why has this happened to me?!”

But God gave him no explanation.

Even when he is framed and put into prison, he still trusts that God has a purpose for him even if it is to be in prison. Sure enough he helps fellow prisoners in their hour of need. He makes no assumption that God has given up on him and abandoned him to prison. Instead he just trusts in God’s goodness.

At last God steps in and orchestrates an ‘abundance followed by drought ‘situation in which Joseph is elevated to the most senior position in the superpower of Egypt. But still he did not know why God had changed his life for the better.

He just trusted.

Finally, he re-unites with his brothers after at least a 10 year break. It is only now that he sees the reason behind all the events that happened in his life.

His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Gen 50:18-21

Wow! Even now his insight into their situation is not just for his personal satisfaction, but it is the groundwork for reconciliation with his guilty fearful brothers. He doesn’t give them the justice they deserve because his first love and greatest purpose in life is to serve God’s purposes. This is what has sustained him
in the dark dungeons of life and now that his life is so blessed he does not abandon that purpose.

That is why he had to reconcile with them; because God wanted to save them.
The only issue that Joseph took into his own hands was to conduct a little test to see if they were the same ruthless people now as they were 10 years ago.

They were not. They were deeply scarred by the atrocities they had committed on him and his Father.

That made it possible for Joseph to reconcile with them.

I sincerely believe that Joseph would have saved them even if they were as ruthless as they had been when he was 17; because that is the character of a godly man and the God he serves.
What about you? Does your single minded desire to live for God give you enough foundation to show mercy to those who have seriously hurt you?

If so, you might not end up with a happy ending like Joseph but you will have the deep satisfaction that because of God you gave it your best shot.
As for the rest of it? Perhaps we will have to be like Joseph and trust that even though we don’t see the grand plan, we have done what God has asked of us, in the strength that he provides.

May that be enough.

Graeme