Prophets class at George Fox. Feel free to read and simply enjoy or
offer critiques, comments, how it could be improved, etc...
If you turn on the radio, you are sure to hear phrases such as: “In
these hard economic times,” “In times like these,” or “In these tough
days”. These are the clichés you hate because they are overused,
especially as marketing ploys, or because the reality is all to real.
Today we find solace in Genesis 50:15-21. As we read through this
imagine yourself in the place of Joseph’s brothers, whom we meet at the
opening of this section. Along the way I’ll tell you to write some
points down for you to apply to your life from the passage. In doing
so, I believe God can speak into our situation today, offering us
direction when many feel lost.
We will appreciate the brothers’ situation better when we remember how
the larger story began earlier in Genesis. At that time, there was
tension between them and Joseph. If I may summarize the conflict in
this way, the brothers’ had an idea of how life should work and it did
not include their stuck-up, daddy’s-boy brother Joseph and his dreams
of wielding authority over them. In order to maintain control of their
lives what do they do? They dispose of the threat, first wanting to
kill Joseph, but ultimately selling him off as a slave to foreigners.
In doing so, they assume, life will unfold along their terms. If you
take notes write this down: Joseph’s brothers thought they could
control their lives on their own terms.
Now fast-forward several years and chapters later. During this time
whatever their plans were, they did not predict famine, traveling from
Canaan to Egypt to ask Pharaoh for food- a biblical stimulus package-
moving to Egypt to live as foreigners, or their father dying. They
certainly did not anticipate Joseph being the authority from which
they’d ask for help. If you read the tone of verse 15, these men are
vulnerable and fearful. Write this down: When life “happened” and their
plans fall apart, the brothers were prone to fear.
How many of you identify with these brothers? We all have an idea of
how life should unfold. This is ingrained into us from a young age when
we’re asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Our lives are
defined by the pursuit of answering that question. We choose schools,
internships, places to live, people to identify with in order to meet
these life goals. Think for a moment and jot down what in life you are
trying to control right now: Is it upward mobility? Financial or job
security? Healthy relationships? Good health? A sense of purpose?
We think we can control our lives on our own terms. When something gets
in the way, we try to control that too. Assuming we’re the brothers and
Joseph is God, when God offers a vision that challenges our plans, our
fallen nature leads us to say, “Uh thanks, God, but I’m not
interested”. Or we take for granted that God is automatically on board
with our plans. And so we live out our plans, sometimes for years,
thinking everything has worked well without God.
When life “happens” and our plans fall apart, we are prone to fear. Is
that not true? The news brings word that the housing market tanked. The
lucrative company you were working for downsized and now you have to
pack the family and move across the country. Or maybe an affair is
exposed; divorce is imminent. A sudden heart attack or treating an
addiction redefines your lifestyle. Maybe you’re young and uncertain of
what career to pursue. You’re battling depression. The list of issues
could go on, but do you see my point? We cannot predict when life will
bring us a “famine” and we’re put into a vulnerable, fearful position.
Ultimately, like Joseph’s brothers, you have to decide how you will
handle the famine.
This text hits close to home in some regards to me right now. Almost a
year ago, I was at a high in life. Just graduating with honors from
college two weeks before marrying my beautiful wife, Sharon. Over the
next six months life was fantastic; I worked a job I loved as a
barista, with prospects of a promotion to Assistant Manager. I had
friends nearby to spend time with, and the city of Seattle at my
doorstep. When Sharon finished her undergraduate work in December, we
moved down to Tigard. Our plans were to move in with Sharon’s family
for a few months, find a decent paying job, move into our own
apartment, attend graduate school and it would be “happily ever after”.
Here was reality: struggling to find work. Finding a job, but one I
could not stand with a 50-60 hour workweek; anticipating living with
the in-laws indefinitely. In one week, being laid off from work, our
car gets hit in a parking lot, and complications with a seminary class
means I may have wasted money and face failing. Meanwhile Sharon’s path
is going well in school and work and I seem to have been hit with my
personal ten plagues! None of it was part of our plans but, guess what?
Life happened. Even as a faithful Christian couple we admit it is hard
to be vulnerable before God and admit we are not in control. Like we
read next in our Scripture passage, Sharon and I had to make the choice
to let fear enslave us and separate us from God, or do we draw near,
confessing dependence on Him.
“Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said,
“What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in
full for all the wrong that we did to him?”
They recognize their need for a new plan of action. Does their question
sound familiar to you? “What if?” It could get worse for them, beyond
being foreigners, and enduring famine; a the family may fall into
turmoil. They live in a culture where, wrongdoings were not forgotten
easily, but remembered for generations. Their fear that Joseph would
give them what they deserve is not unfounded. Write this down: Do they
let their fear separate them from Joseph further, or do they humbly
draw near him seeking reconciliation?
The brothers choose reconciliation and forgiveness from Joseph.
They confess their wrongdoings, recognizing that they are at Joseph’s
mercy. In fact, they use the words servant to describe themselves. At
the beginning, we see they were slaves to their desire for control. Now
they see themselves as slaves, servants of God, and servants to Joseph.
The only way to make things right is to follow the will of the one in
charge.
Reflect on your situation again right now. Will you remain separated
from God, or will you choose to draw near him and set things right?
What do you need to let go of in life so you can submit to God? Are you
facing guilt? Pride? What have you taken for granted? Take time to
confess your wrongs to God and seek forgiveness. More than that, in
your prayers, let God know you are giving control of your life to him.
The story tells us that the brothers were met with compassion and
blessing. “Joseph wept”. “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God?”
Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in
order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today; I myself
will provide for you and your little ones.”
Joseph releases his brothers from fear offering them assurance and
mercy. He does not rub their wrong in their face. In fact he does not
dwell at all the issue. His rhetorical question, Am I in the place of
God? Settles the matter. Yes, I could punish you, but let’s leave that
behind us. His vision is set on the larger picture. Joseph reminds them
God has been in control the entire time. “You intended harm to me, God
intended it for good.” Look at the reversal of events: In trying to do
away with Joseph, the brothers put Joseph in a position to help God
save a nation including his own family from starving. Fear turns into
assurance; guilt into forgiveness. Write this down: The brothers
discover their wrongs do not stop God from working for good. Write this
down too: God intends good, does good and will continue to do good.
Joseph models with his brothers what Christ does for us, when we submit
to him. He assures us of our forgiveness, and points us to God, in whom
we find a new vision for life. We are reminded that God’s plan is far
better than our own. When we follow that new plan, we have no reason to
fear. The fear that we had of losing control of life is replaced by a
hope that God has been in control and will remain in control for us.
Therefore, like Joseph, we can endure the hardships and successes of
life as they come and still live as God’s blessing in the world.
Some of you may be saying, “This is all well and good, but how do “I
let go and let God?” How do I know what God wants for my life? I am not
one to package spirituality as a formula for instant results. God does
not work like that. At the same time, there are necessary
characteristics for a healthy spirituality.
The first, I have found, is to approach your spirituality as a
relationship with God, rather than a set of highly effective habits on
a check list. Look at how friendships work; there are certain qualities
that make a good friendship: honesty, quality time, familiarity. The
same is true for God. When we spend intentional time with God
regularly, through reading scripture, prayer, a devotional time or
gathering for worship we become familiar with God’s interests. This is
the heart of drawing near to God. So if you study your schedule and
find God strangely absent, it is certainly time to include him.
The second element is to realize that spirituality is not just what you
get from God, but what you give from God. Joseph did this, he knew God
intends for goodness to exist in the world, and he shares that with his
brothers. As God provided for the entire nation, so Joseph promises “I
myself will provide for you and your little ones.” Recognizing God’s
work in our lives and the world around us, we can choose to include
those in our own lives. That is how we learn to live by God’s plan
instead of ours. Instead of self-serving lives, God offers us a plan to
reach out to others. Since God desires hope, write down ways you can
bring hope to people around you. God desires justice, write down ways
you can be an advocate for someone. God desires righteousness; write
down ways you can guide people to set aside their sins?
Why do we put an emphasis on what we offer the world? Joseph states in
verse 20, God is active today, already “preserving a numerous people”.
The blessings of our faith are not just part of a future spiritual
realm called Heaven. That is certainly coming, but God is at work
offering blessings today that echo that future we await as we venture
through famine and plenty.
Let us pray: God we thank you that you give us the opportunity to “not
be afraid”. Thank you for the freedom of drawing close to you so that
we can be free from fear in fearful times. I pray that as you continue
your work of “preserving” we can step out in confidence to join you in
our own ways to be blessing in our families, workplaces and world at
large. All of this is only possible in you Lord, and not in our own
plans. In the name of Christ Jesus we lift up or lives to you. Amen.
