A Purpose and a Plan

Favored by his father. Hated by his brothers. Joseph was the youngest of eleven children. His brothers were well aware that Joseph was the favorite son - after all, Dad HAD given him a multicolored coat, fit for royalty. In comparison, their coats were plain and ordinary.

Joseph didn't have to work like they did, either. While they slaved away in the fields taking care of their Dad's sheep, Joseph got to stay at home. Sure he ran an occasional errand or two, but it was easy to see, the boy was spoiled. All his talk of dreams didn't help either. His latest tale had the entire family bowing down to him. How ridiculous!

The day Joseph came to check up on them was the last straw. They spotted him in his outrageous coat from a long distance away. Far enough away to have time to hatch a plan. A plan to get rid of him. They hated him enough to kill him, but selling him was definitely a more profitable idea. With the transaction complete, the brothers ignored the cries of Joseph as the caravan of Ishmeelites moved slowly out of view. In a matter of only a few hours, Joseph's life had gone from picture perfect to positively pitiful. But in spite of this radical turn of events, God had a purpose and a plan for Joseph's life.

Once in Egypt, Joseph was sold as a slave to Potiphar, captain of the guard. Things began to improve. God was with Joseph and everything he did prospered. Potiphar took notice and put Joseph in charge of everything in his household. Unfortunately, someone else had noticed Joseph, too. Potiphar's wife. It wasn't long before she began tempting Joseph to sin. His refusals made her angry, and finally she lied about Joseph and had him thrown into prison. Imagine Joseph's confusion! What was going on? First he was sold as a slave by his brothers, and now he found himself in prison for a crime he hadn't committed. Even with circumstances looking bleaker by the moment, God still had a plan for Joseph's life.

Although he may not have understood why his life had taken a turn for the worse, Joseph trusted God. And God didn't disappoint, "...the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison, "(Genesis 39:21; KJV). Soon Joseph was in charge of the prisoners. When Pharaoh's butler and baker landed in prison, Joseph took care of their needs as well.

Dreams had always intrigued Joseph. The dreams of the butler and baker were no exception. Each had experienced a strange dream that neither could interpret. God enabled Joseph to interpret their dreams: the baker would be hung in three days, while the butler would be restored to his position in the same time frame. Joseph had only one request of the butler, "...think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house," (Genesis 40:14).

Such a simple request. But did the butler remember Joseph? No! It wasn't until Pharaoh had a disturbing dream, TWO YEARS LATER, that the butler finally thought about the man in prison who had interpreted his dream. Joseph was called from the prison house and finally God's purpose and plan for his life became clear. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream. Because of Joseph's wise counsel, Pharaoh elevated him to second in command in all the nation of Egypt!

God was able to use the difficulties in Joseph's life, being a slave and a prisoner, to prepare him for the incredible task of being a leader. Joseph's story gets even better. Remember his brothers? They end up traveling to Egypt in search of food. And yes, they DO end up bowing before him! Joseph forgives them for selling him into slavery, because he now understands God's bigger plan, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive," (Genesis 50:20). The family is reunited and even Joseph's Dad ends up moving to Egypt.

Just like Joseph's life, I know that God has a purpose and a plan for my life, even when I don't understand it! Circumstances may not always add up in my mind, but my job is to trust the God of the universe to work all things together for good.

Is it hard to understand why certain things are happening in your life? Trust that God is in control. He just may be using those difficulties to prepare you for the awesome plan He's got for you!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You that You have a purpose and a plan for my life, even when I don't understand it. Thank You for the story of Joseph that illustrates that everything happens for a reason. Help me to trust You when things are difficult. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Who Knows Best?

He stares at me. Tail wagging, tongue hanging out of his mouth. It's almost as if he believes he can cause me to do his bidding if he uses the charm factor. Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Joe, IS adorable. And he's hard to resist when he cocks his head just so, and puts on a big 'smile.' Yet sometimes he forgets we're his owners and not the other way around.

Just a couple days ago, he tried pouring on the charm. I went out to spend a few minutes with both dogs. Our Golden Retriever, Precious, just wanted to cuddle. Joe, on the other hand, was ready to play. I grabbed a tennis ball and headed out to indulge him with a game of fetch. But Joe wanted to make up the rules. Instead of retrieving the ball, Joe caught it and stood looking at me expectantly. The more I coaxed him to bring me the ball, the more determined he was to get me to come get the ball from him. He wasn't interested in playing our usual game of fetch.

Much to Joe's chagrin, I stood up and headed back in the direction of his doghouse. Realizing his opportunity to play was disappearing rapidly, he streaked by me and stood in the middle of the path, tennis ball on the ground in front of him. Stooping down to scratch his head, I gave his ball a final toss. He brought it back in seconds flat. Next time I went out to play, he resembled a boomerang. We both enjoyed an invigorating game of fetch.

Joe's antics are surprisingly familiar. If I'm honest, I have to admit that sometimes I do the same thing - with God. Knowing that I'm His beloved child, sometimes I forget that He's also my Creator, and I expect Him to do my bidding. Although what He expects of me is clearly laid out in His Word, I minimize who He is, and get caught up in a 'buddy' mentality. Since He's my friend, surely He'll do ______(fill in the blank) for me! Or, since He wants what's best for me, He definitely won't allow ________(fill in the blank) to happen! I temporarily forget that God's plan for me is not to make me happy - it's to conform me to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

The prophet Isaiah gently reminds me, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts," (Isaiah 55:8-9; KJV). As the holy Creator and sustainer of everything, including me, my responsibility is to acknowledge God for who He is, and follow the instruction manual He's so graciously given me.

How could I possibly think I know what's best? Time and time again, when I've tried to bargain with God and do things my way, the results have been disastrous. Acknowledging His authority and submitting to His will for me bring wonderful blessings. The Psalmist, David, writes, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy ways unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass," (Psalm 37:4-5). God's desire IS to bless me. My problem is that far too often I think of God's blessings in terms of material things rather than spiritual things.

God's plan for me is to, "...grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, " (2 Peter 3:18a). My prayer today, echoes that of the Apostle Paul for the believers at Colosse, "...that ye (I) might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye (I) might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father..." (Colossians 1:9-12a; words in italics mine).

What about you? Do you try to charm God into doing things your way? Realize His plan is so much better than anything you could come up with - and let Him be in charge!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me when I minimize You and think I know what's best for me. Help me to remember that my life consists of so much more than things. You are what's most important. I desire to grow in my knowledge of You. Thank You for Your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.