"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."
16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died,
17 'Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."
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.
There have been many things in my life that could be looked upon as injustices. One of the most glaring was being a four year old son when my parents divorced. The earliest recollection in my life was in the courtroom with my mom and dad for a custody hearing for me and my two sisters. My mom was granted custody and my dad moved to Canada the next month to avoid paying child support for three children! It took many years, but I finally forgave my father for abandoning us.
Joseph wasn't abandoned by his family, rather sold into slavery by his brothers, maybe because they thought he was loved more than them. Their focus was on themselves rather than the others around them. Joseph was a servant to Potiphar, a subordinate of Pharaoh. Potiphar's wife lied about Joseph and had him placed in prison. For two years Joseph served The LORD from an Egyptian prison cell! Scripture indicates he would be an encouragement to his fellow prisoners. To avoid focusing on revenge would have probably been a challenge for me!
But Joseph understood that "GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD" when his brothers sold him into slavery to Potiphar. GOD had a plan for his life! In Genesis 45:5 scripture records Joseph saying to his brothers "And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for GOD sent me before you to preserve life." Joseph knew that he was a tool to be used by GOD to "preserve life", not only for his family, but for the Egyptians as well!
GOD loves us just as much as HE did Joseph. And HE loved Joseph just as much as HE loves us! If it had been me in an Egyptian prison, would I have been an encouragement to the fellow prisoners? Or would I have been wallowing in self-pity singing "woe is me" to the top of my lungs? We need to realize that our whole world doesn't revolve around what WE want to happen. Our trials may be a result of "GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD" for a lot more people than we can possibly see?
FATHER GOD, I pray that my focus will be broader than my eyesight reveals! Cause me to see things from YOUR perspective and recognize that YOUR plan for my life may bring challenges, but "GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD"!
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