God Meant it for Good

It had been a restless night.  Plagued by the unfair events of his past, the prospect of falling asleep seemed almost impossible.  Flashes of what he thought were forgotten memories lurked at every hour of the night.  While trying to sleep, he remembered the trauma of being sold into slavery, the false accusations of an unrighteous woman, and probably the worst of all – the months and months of trying to survive in an Egyptian dungeon.  As he lay on his bed, it seemed as if he could still feel the dampness of his darkened cell and hear the scurry of the hungry rats that paid him an unwelcome visit every night.  His arms and legs still bore the marks of his shackles, and if he listened to his memories, he could still make out the faint moaning of imprisoned men who had lost all hope in what seemed like one of the worst places on earth.

All of this and more filled Joseph’s mind as he readied himself for a visit from the brothers who had sold him into bondage at the very early age of seventeen.  How things had changed!  Now he was the prime minister of Egypt – second only to the Pharaoh himself!  Now he had the power to decide the fate of his cruel and uncaring brothers who wanted to be rid of the young man they had called “the dreamer.”   But God had a different plan.  Instead of seeking revenge, Joseph sought reconciliation.  Over the years, he had learned about the power of forgiveness and how God in His wisdom fits everything that happens “into a pattern for good” (Rom. 8:28, JBP).        

With great courage and compassion, Joseph called his brothers together and said, “Come close to me…I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!” (Gen. 45:4, NIV).  But he went further than just seeking a reunion; he also declared God’s purpose in it all.  With incredible wisdom and depth of insight, Joseph said, “it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen. 45:8, NIV).  The purpose of his sending: To save lives!  In the face of severe famine which was to last seven years, God had sent Joseph to the land of Egypt “to preserve a remnant…and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (Gen. 45:6, NIV).

More and more today the conviction that we are here to save lives is breaking in on the people of God.  We have witnessed God’s efforts to bring His people to maturity; we have watched Him work to restore His church, but now we must see a people emerge who will live to see others saved from the wasteland of brokenness and spiritual famine.  Yes, we are called to proclaim a message that says, “You can be saved from your sins and your sicknesses, and you can be saved from poverty and brought into prosperity!”  The weight of oppression can be lifted and the cloud of fear and anxiety will dissipate!  God has chosen us to be bearers of a message that has the power to save lives!   Hallelujah!

I will never forget the time many years ago in Belleville when I met a young man for coffee whose confession to me was, “I’ve spent too much time looking at the bottom of a bottle.”  His life was one of desperation and despair, but he didn’t know how to be set free.  And then one Sunday he came to one of our meetings.  It was in this meeting that he realized that there was a way out – a way to life and freedom – but he needed help to know what to do.  So he called me up on the Monday morning to ask if I could meet him for coffee.  It was near the end of our conversation that he looked at me and simply said, “I’m so lost.”  Thankfully, there is a way for the lost to be found!  That morning he was ready to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and as a result, he was saved – saved from himself and all his sins!  He was saved to learn how to live for God and for others.

The truth that stands out for me as I read the story of Joseph is how he was able to interpret the events of his life in relationship to God’s purpose for him.  He clearly saw that despite how terrible things had been, God was able to weave it all into a wonderful pattern for good that ultimately led to the saving of many souls from famine.  This is why later in his life Joseph could say to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20, NIV, italics added).  This is a staggering revelation, for it connects what you and I go through in life with how God uses it all to bring the knowledge of salvation to others.  In others words, if God can work in my life to bring about good, He can certainly work in yours, no matter how difficult or hopeless things may seem.

I think this is one of the reasons why Jesus stated right at the onset of His ministry what He intended to do.  His purpose in coming was to provide salvation to all mankind, so He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Lk. 4:18, 19, NIV).  Indeed, God means it all for good!  How wonderful it is to know salvation from sin, sickness, poverty, and oppression – and to top it off, to enjoy the favor of the Lord!  Now that is something to shout about!  Praise God, He has done everything well!  And, praise God, we have a part to play in His great plan!