What man sometimes man means for evil, God means for His people’s good
S - Gen 45 NASB
4Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5“Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6“For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7“God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8“Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
O - The interesting observation in this scripture to me is how Joseph handled this situation of his brothers coming to Egypt to buy food during this great famine. His brothers did not know who he was when they came to Egypt to buy grain; Joseph was careful not to reveal himself to his brothers until he understood the well being of his father Jacob and his younger brother Benjamin. Once he understood those two things he revealed himself, likely knowing it would be a great shock to his brothers. And here is the awesomeness of Joseph, that he had an opportunity to rub it in there faces that his dream had come true, his brothers would bow down to him and retaliate against them for throwing him in a pit and selling into slavery. Joseph recognizes God’s hand on the whole thing, and rather than be discouraging and revengeful he makes the statement to his brothers “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life”. What humbleness Joseph displayed in show despite his powerful position and what I think of as justifiable animosity toward his brothers.
A - The application for me is both exciting for the future, and shameful as I look in the mirror at myself. I wish I could say during the same opportunities I have had to respond to similar circumstances in my own life that I had responded as honorably, and humble as Joseph. In most cases I let my flesh and hurts of the past lead my response, vice the knowledge, understanding and belief that I am a new creation in Christ, the old has passed away. Well it has, however I keep allowing my flesh to dig up the past and invite it back into my life. Jesus speaks of this risk with new believers in the parable of the sower, and again when he casts out demons from people. In both of those examples Jesus tells us it is not a matter of can Jesus cast out our demons, heal our wounds, and forgive us our sins, these are all facts, what Jesus doesn’t control is if once he cleans house in us, we invite the demons to return, or even worse we have our guards down and when the demon returns they bring 7 of their new friends to move into this freshly cleaned vessels. For me I recognize though I am a new creation in Christ , I have at times let the “old man” return and respond for me. There are countless times in my life since being born again where I have responded with other than Christ like love, or Joseph like humbleness. I do not feel defeated in this knowledge, on the contrary I feel hopeful that Christ alone can help me be sanctified and justified to be His humble servant in the tradition of Joseph, Peter, and Paul.
P - Dear Heavenly Father thank you for today’s devotional revelation, may this lesson be sealed to my heart. I pray Lord that if it is your will that you would remove the thorn in my DNA or personality that wants to carry all my past scars to be used as later weapons against my perceived enemies. Help me to see the circumstance through your eyes, and respond with your love of people, and hatred of sin. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.
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