Joseph Reassures His Brothers
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died:17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
18 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.
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I am not sure about the rest of you, but I truly love the story of Joseph. When I think about God's faithfulness, I am completely amazed at how life and history have unfolded into ways that can only be explained by God. That is, to say, that left on our own accord, life would be hopeless. I have seen musicals and the movie, but each time that I read Genesis I glean more and more through the years. To give you a background in this story, for all intensive purposes Joseph:
- Was spoiled
- Was not liked by his brothers
- Was mistreated
- Was betrayed
- Was falsely accused
- Was put in prison (he was innocent)
- Was neglected
- Was a dreamer
Through all of this God's provision and sovereignty reigned through and through this true story. Through Joseph's rough life, he encountered pain and distress and anxiety and the like. He probably felt very alone a lot of times and felt depression along the way. Right up until the point that God gave him the interpretations of men's dreams. God enabled him to be the second man in command under just Pharoh. Because of this, God's promise to Abraham was sustained and His way went on to present day - Jesus is alive and sits at the right hand of the Father.
When we start to think that this world is about us and what we want and how it can best serve us - we miss the whole enchilada, that is, we miss God's plans and blessing for our lives. When we live in a secular world that becomes more hell bent on the world's form of truth versus biblical truth (we have grave problems). Life is never supposed to be easy nor should we expect that if we are professing Christ. God loves us! Jesus said that if we bear his name that we will be persecuted.
God knows the plans for us because He is the I AM!
We are not in control, God is.
If God is for us, then who can really be against us?
We need to learn the secret to life: Contentment
What are some ways that you need to give up?
Let Go and Let God!
Blessings,
Dante