God’s love makes you wise
The reckless Joseph went through a long period of suffering. No matter how reckless he was, the suffering he faced was severe. He almost got killed by his brothers. He was eventually sold into slavery.
He was falsely accused and sent to prison. The suffering continued. There was a pit under the pit. He seemed to be pushed further and further into the worst. Between the young Joseph who had dreams but was clueless and Joseph who became the prime minister of Egypt, a powerful nation, there was a time of unspeakable suffering and despair.
That story appears throughout Genesis 39. But here is a phrase that keeps appearing
“The Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered, and was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did prosper.-Genesis 39:2-3-”
“So Joseph’s master took him and put him in the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. While Joseph was in the prison, the Lord was with Joseph, and he showed him kindness, and he gained favor with the keeper of the prison. The keeper of the prison committed all the prisoners in the prison to Joseph’s care. Joseph was in charge of all that was in the prison. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under his care, because the Lord was with Joseph. The Lord made him prosper in all that he did. -Genesis 39:20-23-“
The Lord was with Joseph. The phrase “The Lord was with Joseph” appears 4 times in Genesis 39 alone.
But what is in Genesis 39? It is the miserable and painful time of slavery and prison. There is no such phrase when Joseph was a dreamer. It is not even there after he became prime minister.
In times of suffering and loss God is with Joseph. Joseph really had no one but God. God protected and supported Joseph when he was a slave. He raised him when he fell. He touched his heart and comforted him. He wiped away his tears. God loved Joseph, a prisoner whom no one loved. He had suffering and God’s love. Between these two, Joseph began to grow up.
When there is only suffering, people become crooked. On the other hand, when there is only love, people become immature. However, God’s love that accompanies us in our suffering makes us mature.
Because of the love that accompanies us in our suffering, we become mature children who embrace the Lord’s heart and read His heart.
