“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.” (Genesis 50:20)
Today, we close with the classic statement of God’s sovereignty which not only points to how Joseph’s family was saved from famine, but also how God was working in his redemptive plan for humanity as well. In his conversation with his brothers, Joseph recalls that many people were “kept alive” which was only due to God placing him in a position of power in Egypt, God turning the evils done to him by his brothers to good. Rather than paying back evil for evil (Rom.12:17-21), Joseph meets his brothers with kindness and love. Joseph knew God was with him and was able to rest that God’s plan was bigger than just rescuing “many” from famine, but that God was still faithful to his promise to bring them to the Promised Land.
Throughout Genesis we have seen God’s sovereign will time and time again, rescuing the failures from Abraham to Joseph and sustaining the promises God had made. Here, God sustained the lineage from whom Jesus would come to bruise the serpent’s head and to be with us on earth and forever to save us from the spiritual famine that would otherwise cause us to be separated from God for eternity. Jesus came, telling the disciples that he is “the bread of life, whoever comes to [him] shall not hunger, and whoever believes in [him] shall never thirst” and to the Samaritan woman that he would give her living water that would become within her “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 6:35; 4:10). Though we face hardship and uncertainty, we can be certain Jesus’ promise of eternity with God.
How often do you view the hardships in your life as setbacks rather than resting in the knowledge that God is working them for your good? How often do you reflect on whether or not it’s because you desire your own will rather than the will of God for your life? It is far too easy to get caught up in the trials and difficulties in the moment, so go to God and cry out to him to reveal to you the good that he is working. He is good and wants your heart alone.