God’s Love: Part 4

Genesis 39: 1-6

“1 Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him; he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and with him there he had no concern for anything but the food that he ate.”

This scripture tells us that the Lord was with Joseph, even though Joseph had been sold by his brothers into slavery to the Midianites and by the Midianites to Potiphar.  By human standards we would not believe that God was with a person who suffered such inhuman treatment.  In fact, we would say that Joseph had been cursed or deserted by God.

We often ascribe the things that humans do, such as wars, or conquests to be the work of God or the will of God, when in reality it is the work of human hands and human will.  

It was not God’s will that Joseph be mistreated by his brothers, become a slave and suffer in the way that he did.  But God certainly never deserted Joseph during this time and God used his misfortune to His Glory and to His will.

As Christians, we are not promised an easy life in this world.  In fact, Jesus told his followers that they would suffer.  

What is promised is that God’s presence and love will never be removed from us… 

no matter what our circumstances.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)