May Our Rise be as Great as Our Fall

Genesis 45 - Joseph says: “It was not you who sent me here, but God.”

In all the misspoken words and ungodly jealousy by Joseph’s brothers, God used it “for such a time as this.” Had Joseph not been sold by his brothers, how would he have come to Egypt? Had he not been in Egypt, how could he have been wrongly accused and put in jail? Had he not been in jail, how would the cupbearer know he could interpret dreams? Had the cupbearer not met Joseph in jail, how could he have suggested that Joseph interpret Pharoah’s dream? Had Joseph not become second only to Pharoah, how would Israel & his 11 other sons have been brought to the land of Goshen? The land of Goshen was their escape from immanent death, therefore preserving the ENTIRE LINE OF ISRAEL.

God is wondrous.

How does the events of Joseph relate to my own life? I’m no Joseph. Joseph went through all of his troubles and never sinned against God or his fellow man. I’m so guilty of sin and wrong doing that I figure bad things will happen to me just as a 'reaping of what I've sown.' Joseph bore all of this and did nothing wrong and never once said, 'why me Lord'. He believed that God had a plan to fulfill through him and his faith never faltered. Oh, to have the faith of Joseph. It is a desire I keep ever before me.

All the bad things I’ve done, specific sins, specific choices - they have names that I won’t name out loud. I sometimes wonder where they will fall into God’s plan. Maybe they were used to help me find my own humility. Maybe I’m one of the brothers that is saved in spite of something stupid I did. Maybe I’m saved in spite of what I deserve. And just maybe I'm the one bowing down at the feet of the one I hurt, feeling helpless, confessing wrong, only to be extended grace beyond what I deserve. But who is to say it's an either/or situation? Any one of us could be both the humbled and the lifted all in the same lifetime. He does that, you know. He takes all of our bad and turns it for our good, even when it doesn't feel like it in the moment.

Joseph was deeply hurt that his brothers had so little love for him. The brothers lived a daily reminder of their sin and cowardice as they watched their father mourn his beloved son. Through years of separation, the Lord was able to heal both. When the time was right, He brought them all together again. Joseph, second to only Pharoah and with the power of life and death in his hands, extended love, grace and prosperity to his brothers. In exchange, his brothers never brought up the past and instead of embracing their shame, they embraced their new life in Goshen with a solid respect for little brother. The family was together, God's people were safe to multiply and prosper.

God is wondrous.

If you or I are blameless yet suffer greatly, never fear, our purpose has yet to be fulfilled. Faith is our saving grace. If we battle sin and are reminded of our cowardice, do not fear, a humble heart is on its way. Humility is our saving grace.

Had it not been for Joseph, Judah would have ceased to exist, yet no one is greater in their purpose than the other. Joseph had to wait 20+ years to see his purpose fulfilled in Egypt and Judah never knew that 30+ generations later his purpose would be fulfilled through the birth of a child. Jesus didn’t come through Joseph, the blameless one. He came through Judah, the sinner.

May our rise be as great as our fall.

-Shauna