Up, Down, and All Around

 

So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’” (Genesis 45:4-11 ESV)

 

From 1911 to 1961, the Mountain Speedway Roller Coaster at Crystal Palace Park, in Galveston, Texas, provided the brave at heart thrills. It was not as big as some of the modern coasters of today; however, as a young teenager in the 60’s, its 3,000 feet of track rising to over six stories in height. The attached picture gives you some idea of the twists and turns of this old coaster. I did hop in the car from time to time and take the ride. Today would certainly provide a different narrative. I simply have come to know my limitations much better than those days!

 

Roller coasters are known for their steep rises and plunges designed to bring genuine terror to the brave souls who strap in for the ride. The memories of those rides remind me a great deal of the experience of Joseph. As a young man, Joseph was bright and full of life, the favorite of his father. That drove his brothers crazy with jealousy and envy, however. And one day those brothers took revenge, selling Joseph into slavery in Egypt. There we see him rise and fall, gaining honor but also getting thrown into prison for a wrong he did not commit. But God was with Joseph, and eventually God raised him to become a ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh the king.

 

Later, when his brothers came to Egypt to buy food because there was a great famine, they found themselves in the hands of Joseph and were afraid he would take revenge on them. But Joseph had learned about depending on God. He saw God’s watchful care in all the ups and downs of his life, and he saw how God had planned to save many lives through him. Even when we find ourselves on a “roller coaster” in life, we can take comfort that in all circumstances God is with us, redeeming and working all things for good (cf. Romans 8:28).