The Wonder of God's Plan and Timing

The Wonder of God’s Plan and Timing
Gensis 41-44
“Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.  He named the second Ephraim “For,” he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
For 13 years, Joseph served as either a slave or in prison in Egypt.  The dreams of being a ruler over his family seemed distant and forgotten.  For Joseph, the dream now was just to get out of the prison and return to a normal life.  Just when it appeared his hope was forgotten, events suddenly changed.  
In the middle of the night, Pharoah, the ruler of the kingdom, had a troubling dream.  He did now the meaning or significance of the dream, only that it was foreboding and distressing.  In a time when people look at dreams as a source of God’s message, this dream seemed to foretell something essential and disturbing. In the morning, he called upon the magicians of Egypt, the individual who were the interpreters of dreams.  But they were as perplexed as he was. But then, the forgetful cupbearer remembered.  Remarkably, one whose freedom was foretold by a fellow prisoner would not remember the wonder of the event.  How he could forget a supernatural and life-changing event remains a mystery to the reader.  Yet the giver of the dream is also the control of the events.  Just as his deliverance was supernatural, so his forgiveness was supernatural for Joseph needed to remain in the prison for the right moment. Only if he stayed in the prison would he be in the right place at the right time to not only deliver the nation of Egypt from the devastation of a severe famine but also his family.  The events that transpired were not just about saving the nation; it was about saving Joseph’s family.  
To understand Joseph’s interaction with his brothers and family, we need to understand it was more than just delivering them from the throes of hunger.  It was about transforming them from the self-driven sinners who would go to great lengths to get rid of their favored brother to righteous men willing to sacrifice themselves to save their other favored brother.  Joseph’s interaction and testing of his brothers was not vindictive but transformative.  It was to confront them with their sin so that they might experience the joys of salvation and forgiveness. We see this in the life of Judah. In 37:26, Judah betrayed Joseph for his gain.  In 44:16-17, he was willing to sacrifice himself to save Benejamin.   The betrayer becomes the protector.
Looking back in time, we can see how God orchestrated all the events in Joseph’s life to put him in the exact position in time and space to accomplish God’s purpose.  As we go through our circumstances and events in our life, we only see things from the perspective of the present. Sometimes, we can look back in the past and see how God orchestrated the events.  However, we cannot see the events from the perspective of eternity.  God can.  He works from an eternal perspective, and His movement in our life is based upon eternal results.  We may not understand the events or even see how the events have a positive outcome.  But God does, and he works in our lives and in the events that happen to accomplish what has eternal value and purpose.  Paul captures this truth when he writes,   “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  Whether we are a slave, in prison, or in the palace of a king, we can still know that God is accomplishing His purpose and that His plan is perfect in its timing and circumstances. Instead of looking at your circumstances from the context of the present, look at them from the context of God’s sovereignty.  You may not understand why the events happen, but you can trust in the one whose plan for you is always perfect.