I don't know about you but, I get so excited when the details in scripture speak loudly to me. This Sunday was one of those times. Our church is reading through the Bible chronologically and this past week we read the amazing story of Joseph, son of Jacob. His life and testimony has always spoken to me, that is one of the reasons why our son's middle name is Joseph. Joseph did not have an easy road of it, but sought God the whole way. This Sunday our pastor pointed out a small phrase at the beginning of a verse, that seemed to shout to me once my attention was drawn to it.
Genesis 37: 12 - 17
Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them." "Very well," he replied. So he said to him, "Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me." Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?" He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?" "They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.' " So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.
Joseph was not well liked by his brothers in fact shortly after he finds them they throw him in an empty cistern, with plans to leave him for dead. But as they are eating lunch merchants come by and they decide to sell him instead. So what was brought to my attention was how God had cared for Joseph by letting him wander awhile before leading him to his brothers. If Joseph had found his brothers sooner he would have been left for dead way before the merchants would come through. He would have never ended up in Egypt and eventually in the place to save not only the Egyptians from famine, but also his long lost family. I am telling you, if you haven't read the story of Joseph, you need to. It starts in Genesis 37. You can read it here.
I have been experiencing a rough spot in my role as mama for the past two days, I think it has something to do with my son refusing to nap and waking his little sister up way early from her naps with his noisy restlessness. Yet I remember that God is in each little detail of our lives...even if it feels like you are wandering around only to eventually be left for dead. He is right there to pull it all together.
It's funny you should mention that passage of scripture because that really spoke to me too but more so from the point that Pastor David was trying to make that often we can look at those times of "wandering" in our lives and think that God is punishing us. What may look like punishment may just be the way in which He works out the detail for our good. Way to many times lately have I felt like God wasn't listening to my crys to bring Matt home and felt that God must be punishing me because how could any of this be for our good to be apart. I believe God gave me hope Sunday when I heard this message. His word is true... God causes all things to work together for good!
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