The Way God Works
There are so many things we can learn from Joseph's life. One important lesson is about how God works. Since God is not bound by space and time, He sees all of history at the same time. He sees the beginning and the end of things before they even start. This gives Him perfect knowledge of everything. Also, He knows the heart of every person. Therefore, He knows how to work in the lives of people to bring about His will without forcing people to do His will. It is amazing to me, but we see it all of the time. In Joseph's case God gave him a dream about something that would happen 20 years or so in the future.(Genesis 37:10,11) He did not have to force the circumstances, but He could still be sure it was going to happen. Let me explain.
God saw that Jacob loved Joseph more than his other children, and He knew the other children hated him for that. He knew that Jacob had made him a coat of many colors, and that every time his brothers saw that it infuriated them. God knows the effect of rejection in the hearts of people. He knew that Jacob would send Joseph to check on his brothers near Dothan, because He could see all of history. He could even anticipate what the brothers would do, because He knew their hearts so well. Therefore, He could see that they would take advantage of having Joseph alone and sell him to the Midianites who would take him to Egypt. See what I mean. It was just one step after another, until the dream was fulfilled, and his whole family bowed down to him in Egypt, since he was the second in command under the Pharaoh.
The same is true for our lives today. The key factor in all of this is what we decide to do, because of the condition of our hearts. If we trust the Lord and remain faithful like Joseph, then good things happen in our lives for the most part. If we hate and envy like Joseph's brothers, then, we have guilt, stress, and conflict like they did. God's will is going to be done, but what part we will play in it all is up to us. God responds to faith, and He blesses and uses the faithful in His great wisdom. I want to be one of the faithful ones like Joseph and watch how God works to unfold His plan around me.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 38-40.
God saw that Jacob loved Joseph more than his other children, and He knew the other children hated him for that. He knew that Jacob had made him a coat of many colors, and that every time his brothers saw that it infuriated them. God knows the effect of rejection in the hearts of people. He knew that Jacob would send Joseph to check on his brothers near Dothan, because He could see all of history. He could even anticipate what the brothers would do, because He knew their hearts so well. Therefore, He could see that they would take advantage of having Joseph alone and sell him to the Midianites who would take him to Egypt. See what I mean. It was just one step after another, until the dream was fulfilled, and his whole family bowed down to him in Egypt, since he was the second in command under the Pharaoh.
The same is true for our lives today. The key factor in all of this is what we decide to do, because of the condition of our hearts. If we trust the Lord and remain faithful like Joseph, then good things happen in our lives for the most part. If we hate and envy like Joseph's brothers, then, we have guilt, stress, and conflict like they did. God's will is going to be done, but what part we will play in it all is up to us. God responds to faith, and He blesses and uses the faithful in His great wisdom. I want to be one of the faithful ones like Joseph and watch how God works to unfold His plan around me.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 38-40.