Wow.\u00a0 What a powerful concept.\u00a0 In its original context, Joseph is speaking with his brothers.\u00a0 You may know the story.\u00a0 If not, here’s a brief recap.<\/p>\n
Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob (otherwise know as Israel).\u00a0 He was pretty much hated by his older brothers, because he was Jacob’s favorite.\u00a0 They talked about killing him, but ended up selling him to slavery, and he ended up in Egypt.\u00a0 He ended up in favor with the Pharoah after a few other exciting escapades.\u00a0 He prepared Egypt to deal with a famine that affected the entire middle east, and Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to get food, where they meet Joseph, but don’t recognize him.\u00a0 When finally confronted with the news that they are now dealing with the brother they wanted to kill they were really afraid.\u00a0 Joseph comforted them, and told them to go get their father, Jacob, and bring him back to Egypt to live.\u00a0 It was a “happily ever after” thing until Jacob died, and the brothers became afraid of Joseph all over again.\u00a0 This is where our quote for the day comes in.\u00a0 Joseph said “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?\u00a0As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good<\/strong>, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. <\/sup>So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.”<\/p>\n So, a lot of really bad things happened to Joseph.\u00a0 He was almost killed by his brothers and sold into slavery.\u00a0 He was accused of trying to force himself on his master’s wife and put in prison.\u00a0 He was forgotten by those he helped while in prison.\u00a0 In spite of all this, he still was able to look his brothers in the eye and say “God meant it for good” and mean it.<\/p>\n What’s going on in your life?\u00a0 Family members or situations getting you down?\u00a0 Problems at work, or even church?\u00a0 If we believe that God has a plan, (and based on the Word of God it is hard to believe otherwise), we need to act as if God is in control.\u00a0 After all, Paul tells us in Romans 8:28 that “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wow.\u00a0 What a powerful concept.\u00a0 In its original context, Joseph is speaking with his brothers.\u00a0 You may know the story.\u00a0 If not, here’s a brief recap. Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob (otherwise know as Israel).\u00a0 He was pretty much hated by his older brothers, because he was Jacob’s favorite.\u00a0 They talked about killing… <\/p>\n