What would you do? #5

So yesterday we ended with the questions of "did Joseph give his no good brothers food for their families for his fathers sake or did he actually forgive his brothers for all the harm they had done to him?" Let's find out the answer:



Genesis 45:5-8

5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.



At this point it Joesph had figured out God had a purpose for all the wrong doing his brothers had done to him. That was to preserve lives including theirs by Josephs wise planning. But has he really forgiven them. The brothers apparently did not think so:





Genesis 50:15

15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.”



Jacob had come to Egypt with the family. Joseph had them taken care of and now Jacob has died. The brothers are now worried that the only reason Joseph had been nice to them was because of their father!



So here is today's scenario: Now that dad has passed away is it time to get even with your brothers and sisters for all the evil things they had done to you?



Here is what Joseph did:



Genesis 50:19-21

19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.



Joseph had forgiven them. He learned God had a greater purpose in all of his brothers evil and it was to save lives! This is a great lesson for us, even when people do bad things to us, we need to look for the work of God in it! He can use those situations to bring glory to himself. Always remember this verse:



Isaiah 55:8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.



Many times in the middle of tough situations it is hard for us to see God working, but after the situation is over we can look back and see how God was there all along! We must do this:



Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.



God bless and have a great day!



Tom