Who’s in Charge?
April 17-18
Who’s in Charge?
So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Genesis 45:8
Joseph was a man of faith in the sovereignty of God. I was re-reading his story recently, and was struck by the number of times Joseph refers to God’s plan and purpose in his life. I encourage you to read it for yourself. When you do, you’ll notice at the start of the Egypt events the Scripture tells us that ‘The Lord was with Joseph’ (Genesis 39:2), and during the times when he had to interpret various dreams, Joseph affirmed his confidence in God, whom he knew would give him the interpretation. ‘I cannot do it’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires’ (Genesis 41:16). When Joseph’s brothers came to him and he finally revealed his identity he comforted them in their fears of retribution for their earlier actions against him with today’s verse saying ‘It was not you who sent me here but God’ (Genesis 45:8).
Throughout the story we see Joseph as a man of total faith in the sovereign God he worshipped. Spiritual maturity comes through spending quality time with God. Who knows if this was not the ultimate purpose of God taking Joseph down this path? To refine him not into the person his father wished him to be (the favorite son), but the man God has called him to be. It is God who has the power to give us new life and eternal life. He can lock and unlock things in our lives.
How often we get involved with things that lead us into difficulties, yet maybe we don’t so often recognize that God may have had a hand in these events for a greater good than we can see at the time. It’s easy to attribute blame, maybe to ourselves and usually to others for the things that go wrong for us. And the ‘accidents’ of life, and the occurrences that affect us, which appear to have no reason, can distract us from seeing how God is involved in every part of our lives.
We’re not expected to come up with answers or solutions, or even explanations. This is not our job, to try and figure God out. Instead we trust that God remains in control at all times, especially when life seems out of our control. Joseph was able to see at the end of the process how his hard times were for the good of others (Genesis 45:5).
Today, throughout all which you are facing give God the honor and declare Him to be Lord over your life. Maybe when ‘stuff happens’ we should simply say “God has a plan”. Even if we don’t understand it yet. Speak to yourself and purpose it in your heart to trust that God is still the sovereign Lord in your life.
It may not satisfy our logical thinking, but it’s the way to growing in faith.
Prayer for today: Help us, Lord, when we’re faced with the hard times of life to know that You still have a plan and a purpose which involves our situation. During these moments help us to use the key of faith. We trust that You know the bigger picture, and we want to be obedient and faithful, even when it’s tough going. Amen.