After a tremendously long break that clearly has made this journey more than a 2yr plan, I'm getting back into it:
In Genesis 37, it starts out talking about Joseph and how his father loved him more than his other brothers. I cannot imagine what it would be like to feel like your parents loved you more or less than your siblings. I am so thankful that I never felt that growing up, or even now. It seems though that there was definitely not enough communication going on in this family, but in all of it, God had a bigger plan.
Can you imagine plotting to kill your own brother? Joseph's brothers were filled with hatred so much that they wanted him dead. They at least came somewhat to their senses and decided it wasn't such a good plan to kill him, but rather they ended up selling him as a slave. Although they didn't kill him, they still made it look like he was killed- dipping his robe in blood and bringing it to their father. How much deceit! I'm sure they didn't realize that this was all a part of God's plan...
There are so many times where I know I don't see the bigger picture. I tend to focus on the things at hand, or the things right in front of me, and worry about the mountain I am facing- not realizing that I just need to surrender it all and let God lead me through the wilderness. I need to look at things more positively, and see that there is a purpose in my current struggles- maybe the need to draw closer to Him? I KNOW I definitely need more of that...
Not to skip ahead, but Joseph sums it up in Genesis 50:20 when he says, "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." I see three things here. First, from his brothers' perspective... NOTHING, neither harm nor death, will thwart God's plan. His brothers meant to harm him, but God used that to bring about good. Second, from Joseph's perspective... although the Bible doesn't say so, you can imagine his feelings of life being "unfair" or even being angry at God for his lot in life. Yet a circumstance like this is exactly what Paul referred to in Romans 8:28: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Could being sold into slavery be considered "good?" Yep. We need to remember that God defines what is "good." Finally, Joseph's words are also prophetic, pointing to Christ's work on the cross. The Jewish leaders meant to harm Him, and you can be sure that the disciples didn't think it was good that Jesus was sentenced to death... at the time. But three days later they saw more of the bigger picture. When He appeared to them in bodily form, proving that He has conquered the power of sin and death, they thought that was so good that they went and told everyone about it. And as the good news passed from generation to generation, God used the good news of Jesus Christ to even save a sinner like me. And that is very good.
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