Today I was reading Genesis Chapter 50. Joseph’s father has died and his brothers are afraid that Joseph will take revenge for all the wrong that they did to him. But I love what he said to them. “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives….”
There is encouragement in this passage on so many levels.
1. We serve a God who can bring beauty out of ashes.
2. We serve a God who is bigger than any circumstance or transgression.
3. We serve a God who offers us “grace that is greater than all our sins”, as the hymn says.
4. We serve an omniscient God who sees the bigger picture.
4. We can forgive.
5. We can be forgiven.
I take great comfort in knowing that though I am wronged by someone, God can use that to teach and grow me. The growth I experience can benefit others. I am offered another chance to forgive as I have been forgiven. And my offender is given the chance to experience grace.
I also am comforted by the fact that when I am the offender, I can also experience forgiveness, and the knowledge that, although I messed up, God can turn it around for good in the bigger picture in lessons learned and wisdom gleaned.
Joseph saw firsthand how God took a bad situation, and because of Joseph’s obedience and God’s grace, brought blessing for the greater good. My perspective should be the same – what great lessons or understanding or “greater good” things have I experienced through hard times caused by myself or others? Am I a little wiser, or more empathetic, or more careful, or more forgiving? Do I show more love, grace, mercy? Do I experience more peace, contentment, intimacy with God and others? If so, then I am living proof that “God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done…”
I hope that this is clear. I have had a difficult time writing it down. It is not an excuse for sin in any way, but a reminder that God and His grace and purposes are bigger than even our greatest offense. Jesus was nailed to a cross by sinful man. But God used it for the greater good to accomplish His higher purpose – the salvation of mankind. Amazing…
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