Photo Credit: Sophie Pope

The Greatest Gift
Reading Selection for December 9^th
“Never Undone”

Genesis 50:20 (NLT) – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

The words above were spoken by Joseph to his brothers toward the end of his story.  At the point where he could look back over his life and see how a beautiful tapestry had been woven out of a  lot of really ugly thread.

Where are you in your story right now?  Are you in a place others intend for harm?  Are you hated, persecuted, and misunderstood by those closest to you?  Are you misrepresented by others?  Has the presence of God in your life caused your own pride to swell?  Are you in bondage in some way, not free to move about on your own?  Have you been falsely accused?  Are you far from home, alone in a place where you don’t know the customs and don’t even speak the language?  Do you have a dream deep in your heart that’s buried under lots of rejection, confusion, fear and doubt?  Do you have a sense that there’s more to your story, but you feel so far removed from the main plot that it hurts too much to think about?

At one time or another we’ve all been able to identify with one of these situations, if not all of them.  That’s why I love the story of Joseph, it’s so RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE.  Ultimately, Joseph delivered his entire family and preserved the clan that was going to spend about 400 years in slavery while they became a nation of people.  A nation of people God has used to demonstrate His Love to the world.

A nation of people who would welcome their Messiah and hail their God in the Flesh King…oh wait…that’s not how the story goes.  The delivered nation didn’t welcome their Deliverer.  The saved didn’t welcome their Savior.  Instead they become the haters, the persecutors and the misrepresenters.  They falsely accused and even followed through on their murderous plot –even Joseph’s brothers, or at least one of them, drew the line at murder.

But when it looked its darkest and the slain body of the Word made flesh was sealed in the tomb, the stone was rolled away and Salvation emerged – it came for all the haters, persecutors, misrepresenters, liars, and murderers – for me.

When things looked their worst, Love conquered sin and all things worked together for good.

Right now, wherever you are in your journey, all of it, every single bit, God intends for good, for you and others.

Can you trust Him?  Will you stop grasping for control and demanding rights?  Can you say, “Amen” and extend your arms to receive Love?

He intended it from the beginning.  He saw all of your days before there was one of them and He’s been coming for your heart in every single one – even in the hard and the ugly ones.  Every moment is Advent.