“WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING?”

 Genesis 37:12-17                                 (ESV)

Joseph Sold by His Brothers

“[12] Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. [13] And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” [14] So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. [15] And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING?” [16] “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” [17] And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.”

Joseph was sent on a specific mission by his father Jacob.  Checking on the welfare of his brothers seemed a harmless enough request, but things didn’t go exactly how Jacob, Joseph, nor the brothers of Joseph THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD!  

To begin with, Joseph had reported in Genesis 37:2 “a bad report” concerning his brothers.  His brothers felt that Joseph received too much favorable attention from Jacob, so when they saw Joseph coming to see them they devised a plan in their minds to remove their problem from their midst.  They were going to slay Joseph, but one of the older brothers suggested throwing him an a well to avoid having blood on their hands.  

We now know that ALMIGHTY GOD had a PLAN for Joseph, a plan that entailed going through the bottom of the well, being sold into slavery by his own brothers, rising in favor with Potiphar, being imprisoned for doing nothing wrong against her, and finally interpreting dreams for the Pharaoh and being ELEVATED to second in line to Pharaoh because he served GOD, even through less than optimal times!

How many times do I experience a bit of difficulty and ASSUME that GOD IS JUDGING me for being the wretched sinner that I am?  GOD has already brought me through some things that I could have never gotten through on my own.  Just as Joseph’s life had a few challenges in it, so our lives are meant to draw HONOR and GLORY to our CREATOR, not to elevate us.  What is my HONEST reply when I am asked “WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING?”