What's the Point? - Pt 2

But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21 ESV).

Today’s reading has been called the Romans 8:28 of the Old Testament. It is here that Joseph says to his brothers (who’d sold him into slavery), “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive” (v. 20). Let me be very quick to say that “God meant it for good” indicates God didn’t merely make the best of a bad situation; rather, fully aware of what Joseph’s brothers would do, and freely permitting their sin, God intended that the bad situation be used for good. He did so in accordance with his plan from eternity past. I am always encouraged by the understanding of the provenance of God. The Apostle Paul teaches that God’s children have “been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). Please believe there is nothing about God’s work in Joseph’s life that suggests he works any differently in the lives of his other children. In fact, both yesterday’s reading (cf. Romans 8:28) and the passage just quoted (Ephesians 1:11) are emphatic that he works the same way with us. So, the question then becomes whether we believe the promise of this truth or not. I find it very helpful to write down the worst things that have happened to me. Then I am able to ask myself if I really trust God to use those things for my good. The Bible says that he will. If we foolishly assume that our Father has no right to our trust unless he makes his infinite wisdom completely understandable, we create an impossible situation. This is not because of his limitations, because of ours (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9). Occasionally, like Joseph eventually experienced, God gives us glimpses of his rationale. We have all heard the stories of people who have experienced this first-hand. When our youngest son was born, even though he was the third child Mary had delivered, the doctors were forced to do surgery to physically remove him from the womb. After surgery we were told that had she delivered him normally, he would have been still born. The umbilical cord was loosely knotted around his neck. Had he moved into the birth canal at all he would have been asphyxiated. You see, given all that we don’t know, we cannot assume our ignorance of the reasons means there are no reasons. Only God is in the position to determine what is and isn’t pointless. Again, it comes to the need for trust. He is trustworthy. Trust Him!