15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all of the evil which we did to him." 16 They sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father commanded before he died, saying, 17 'You shall tell Joseph, "Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you."' Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, "Behold, we are your servants." 19 Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.
The sons of Jacob, 12 in all, born to different mothers but the same father, had sad, difficult and deadly attitudes toward one another. Some of these attitudes were prompted by dysfunctional structures set in place before they were born. But in the midst of the mess, God still unfolded His plans. Two mothers, Rachel and Leah were placed in a dysfunctional situation. Jacob, desiring to marry Rachel, made a deal with her father Laban to work 7 years at the end of which, he’d be given the privilege of marrying his daughter. That was the plan. However, Laban, had another plan – a trick. Long story short, Laban would get Jacob to “eat, drink and be merry” so much so that he married Leah that night, thinking it was Rachel.
Therefore, Leah was an unloved bride. Her children were born out of trickery. She was in a house filled with resentment. Rachel was devastated because her father took away her beloved husband. Jacob eventually did marry Rachel, but she was unable to bear children, so she “gave” her servant girl to him to have children for her. Rachel’s plan was to have children through her slave girl. The slave girl had no choice, she had no say. She was simply given to Jacob to “breed” some sons. Same father, a different mother. Leah also ended up giving her slave girl as well to bear children – another mother, same father – another plan. Summary, 12 children, 4 mothers, one father – great dysfunction. Fast forward – Rachel finally had a son – Joseph. He became Jacob’s favorite son. Differences made between the children, jealousy, hatred and resentment set in – great dysfunction.
Jacob gives his son Joseph a gift – a coat of many colors. He evidently didn’t give his other sons anything – just Joseph, causing greater jealousy, resentment and anger against Joseph – great dysfunction. Joseph has a dream one night that the sun, moon and stars bow down to him – he shares the dream with his brothers and they say, “come, let us kill this dreamer…” Cain and Able being repeated all over again. – Great dysfunction.
Long story short they threw him down into a deep well and sold him into slavery and told their father he was dead. But God had another plan. Go back and read this story in total. You’ll see God moving in miraculous ways, taking Joseph from the lowest point of prison, false accusation and sure death to becoming the highest official in the land, next to the Pharaoh. God gave Joseph the grace to give this response to his brothers, (verses 18-20 from the Bible in Basic English)
18 His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, "Behold, we are your servants."
19 Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid, for am I in the place of God?
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.
The poet William Cowper declared,
God moves in a mysterious way,Even in the midst of great dysfunction, God has another plan. Even when it looks like all the odds are against you, God has another plan. Even when it looks like boobie traps have been laid all around you, doors seeming to close before you, enemies seem to be gathering together against you and it looks like you’ve played your last best card – God has another plan. While all of these unfortunate things were happening, God was making Joseph. God was molding Joseph. God was preparing Joseph to be a great and mighty Leader who would not only end up saving his brothers that hated him and sold him into slavery, but God would use Joseph to save the nation of Israel.
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill,
He treasures up his bright designs,
And works his sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust him for his grace;
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
William Cowper
When you are faithful, when you are committed to do things God’s way even in the face of hatred and resentment from others, even in the face of pain and disappointment, even in the face of lies and false accusations – God is looking, God is watching, God is moving on your behalf. Joseph provides for us a great example. He didn’t try to fix things on his own. He didn’t try to repay evil for evil. Joseph just kept trusting, obeying and believing. Therefore, God exalted him to a place of honor and great responsibility.
In an article in the Cleveland news paper The Plain Dealer a few years ago, a minister shared this story…
“Blooming in the Mud”
“I saw some beautiful flowers at Euclid Creek. They were growing in mud and bird droppings and broken branches.. What most of us notice are the flowers. We tend to see what we like and ignore what makes things happen. We may see the things that support us as disgusting or unpleasant, but the things you dislike are basically what wake you up to the truth…Mud and bird droppings make the flower bloom and you are the flower.”Proverbial mud and bird droppings produce the flowers in our lives…There are times in our lives, seasons in our lives when it looks like everything is going wrong and everything is going against you. But God is working and moving in ways that you are not able to see, in ways that you are not aware of, in ways that seem impossible. In each situation where Joseph was treated unfairly, treated harshly, denied a chance to “tell his side of the story,” God was working on his deliverance.
Even when people forget the good you’ve done to help them, God is not going to forget your labor of love. Even when those you’ve done the most for turn their face in a different direction when you need help, God will help you. Even when it looks like there is no one to walk with you as you go through the difficulties and struggles of your life, God will stand by you.
Here’s a great lesson from Joseph. When God delivers you, don’t try to repay your enemies. Don’t try to rub their misfortune in their faces, but if he or she is hungry, feed them. If they are in need of clothing, give them something to wear, if they are in trouble and call upon you, help them any way you can and God will continue to exalt you and He will cause them to repent and turn from their wicked ways.
I heard a story the other day about two women who lived in the country. For the purposes of this story I’ll call them Mary and Sue. Mary had a nice little home. It wasn’t fabulous, but it was her home and she had raised her family along with her husband there for many years. But Sue, her neighbor hated Mary for some unknown reason. Sue had a chicken coup near the edge of Mary’s property. And every time Sue would clean her chicken coup, she would dump the mess from her coup into Sue’s back yard.
But Mary never retaliated. She just kept tending to her garden on her property. She kept speaking to Sue whenever she came out of her house. She kept teaching her children to be respectful of Miss Sue, even though she was mean and disrespectful to their mother. Well, in the process of time, Sue became ill. She could no longer tend to her yard. She became bed ridden. But something wonderful began to happen in Mary’s yard.
Take the mess that is flung into your life and fertilize your garden. Learn all you can from the mess and let God fertilize your life. Take the bitter and give it to God and let Him make it sweet. Remember, in the midst of it all, God is unfolding His plans in your life. Beauty is unfolding for you in due season! Won’t you trust him today?
Post a comment or send me an email at Revcsmith1@gmail.com
Until next Wednesday,
In Faith, Hope and Perseverance,
Pastor Chris
www.shepastorchris.org
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