His Way or Ours

1/17/2016

Genesis 43.6-7 6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” 7 They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” – St. Moses

In this story, Israel is confounded: his son Joseph was presumed dead, and now some Egyptian bureaucrat wants his other son, Benjamin, to be brought to him in Egypt – WHY. WAS. THIS. HAPPENING!!!??? So, Israel asks his sons, Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother? The one who was known as a deceiver and a shrewd man was now being tested and he didn’t like it – someone had to take the blame, it must be these sons of his…

You can’t blame Israel. You can’t deny him his love for his sons, but it sure doesn’t explain his bizarre favoritism and preference for Rachel’s children over Leah’s, and the concubine’s. We like to think what goes around comes around. We like to think there is such a thing as payback. And there may be…if there is no God. The truth is, God is over all mankind, everywhere, at all times; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Humans are not completely left to their own devices. God is at work in the hearts and lives of everybody everywhere, all the time.

Israel wasn’t being left to his own devices either. True, he had no knowledge of the lies the other brothers told him about Joseph’s “death”. But there was more in store for Israel’s life than hiding out in Canaan and hoping everything would somehow turn out okay. God used everything that was going on: the famine, the family dysfunction, the bureaucrat in Egypt, all of it, to change Israel’s heart; there were much bigger things in store for them all.

God does the same for us – He uses it all to get us to the place He’s desired since before the foundations of the world were laid. God as a purpose and a plan for each one of us. Part of that plan is to demonstrate to others who don’t know and can’t see, that He loves them and desires for them to come into, and be a part of His awesome family. Eye hasn’t seen nor has ear heard what God has in store for all His children; those who are, and those are aren’t yet.

Joseph’s inquiry into the lives of his father and brothers is telling. He had a great gig in Egypt and wanted to share it with them just as God had showed him in those dreams all those years ago. And God was still doing work in Israel’s heart. It’s the same for us: there is our way, and then there is God’s way. He will teach us and show us His way as long as there is breath in us – He’s that committed to us.

So, our question may be: “Why!?” The answer is: “Because God!”. Israel (Jacob) wanted to control things and God graciously and lovingly said “No!”. We so want to control things and God lovingly and graciously says, “No! I have great plans for you and you need My perfect wisdom to show you the way. Don’t whine or complain and demand, why is this happening to me!!!??? I’m not done with you, and your life is for My glory, not the other way around.”

Father, despite the kicking and screaming, open our eyes to see Your goodness in all we are and do. Help us to be humble and to cooperate in the plans You have for us. There is our way which leads to failure.  And there is Your way which leads to eternal life. Open our eyes and ears, and especially our hearts, to believe and to receive – Amen.