“But God! (Part II)”

Friday, February 18, 2022

Greetings, Dear Friends ~

Blessings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus!

I hope and pray that all is well with you and your families, and you sense the presence, power, and peace of the Lord within your midst. Last week, we focused on the story of Noah in Genesis 8:1; and we continue today with part two in our Selah blog series, “But God!” 

I invite you to reflect on Genesis 50:20, and the story of Joseph.

“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, ESV).

Allow me to paint a picture of the context of this story. Jacob (whose name God changed to Israel after Jacob wrestled with the angel—or wrestled with God or a man depending on your belief) had died, and as he requested, he was buried in the land of Canaan in the cave in the field of Machpelah, which Abraham purchased. This family tomb housed the bodies of Jacob’s grandparents, Abraham and Sarah; parents and stepmother, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah.

Intense mourning had occurred. Jacob, the family patriarch was dead.

Filled with fear, Joseph’s brothers contemplated what would become of them now that their father was dead. They thought Joseph would hate them, and desire to get even with them for the wrongs they had committed against him. Joseph’s brothers sent messengers to him with a word from their deceased father. The message? Forgive your brothers for the evil they did to you. Convicted by their guilty consciences, and reminiscent of Joseph’s dream (Genesis 37: 7-10), they bowed down to him and promised to serve him—just as Joseph had said.

Understanding his position before Almighty God, Joseph responded: “…Fear not: for am I in the place of God?” This brings us to Genesis 50:20, and I paraphrase: You meant it for evil . . . to destroy me . . . but God had plans for good—and those plans include you.

If we consider the evil in the world, we understand, unfortunately, there is absolutely no shortage of people that want to hurt other people. Why does this happen? Because sin is alive and well, and there is an enemy that seeks to counterfeit or destroy God’s plans for our lives—causing us never to reach our full potential. But God! I say this because even as I consider my own experiences, I have been keenly aware of times when the enemy wanted to stop me. By no means do I dwell on these former things, nor am I of the mindset that the “devil is under every rock.” However, spiritual warfare is real, and there are times when we are called to fight. There are other times when God simply says, “Be still,” (at least 100 Bible references) or “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13). The key is being in tune with what the Holy Spirit is directing us to do—to move or to be still (and always in prayer).

When I consider how God intervenes in our lives, it is a blessing to remember the fact that God is real. His plans for us are good. Jeremiah 29:11, one of my favorite Bible verses, has kept me in extremely painful times:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (NIV).

Joseph’s brothers had plans. Their plans were evil. God has plans, my friends, and they are good. It does not matter that our enemies are devising evil plans against us because GOD’S plans, again, are good! His providence and sovereignty override and supersede any plan of the enemy. Nothing will happen without God’s authority and approval. This understanding changes the trajectory of how we can live our lives.

Does this understanding explain the horrors of the Holocaust, the Middle Passage and the Atlantic Slave Trade, the genocide (attempted or conducted) of any group of people, robbing Native Americans of their land, human trafficking of any kind, abuse and neglect of children, or so many other ills conceived out of the imaginations of wicked hearts? Of course not. It never could. But I believe there will be a day of reckoning—a Day of our Lord—where every crooked place will be made straight and every wrong made right.

We live within the ellipsis of that time to come. In the meantime, we remember . . . . Our enemies have plans, but God. Evil is real, but God. Someone has received a hard medical diagnosis, but God. Another is struggling with work-related issues, but God. Whether you are mourning a loss, are on the brink of giving up, feeling betrayed or abandoned, lonely or disappointed, not feeling accepted, or facing a critical decision, we can rest and trust the conjunction and corresponding noun—but God! No matter what situation or circumstance precedes these words, the result and impact are the same—and most importantly, the plans are for our good! Case and point. But God! Rest in this fact.

May our God fill your life to the brim and allow you to see the overflow! This is my prayer for you as you remember that . . . this world is definitely a much better place because you are in it!

Until Next Time, My Dear Friends,

Selah

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