January 11 – “Life Moves”
“You intended to harm, but God intended it for good.” Genesis 50:20
Many families have dreams of having a fairy tale family, and it actually ends up being a “Nightmare on Elm Street”. “Fairy tales are wonderful because they always have the prince and the princess living happily ever after. But life isn’t a fairy tale. In the real world, the prince may run off with the secretary, the princess may walk out on the family to find herself, the royal offspring may do drugs, and a downsizing at work may leave the entire family on the brink of bankruptcy.
Life moves. It is not the nature of life to be static. Have you ever considered that your life has never stopped changing? New things, people, and happenings are constantly coming in and out of our lives. We are personally affected by the continual movement and developments taking place in the world. Have you ever looked at an old photo of yourself and tried to remember what you were thinking at that time? It is impossible because you are not there anymore. You have changed and moved on from that place and time. And you will continue to change and move on from where you are now.
It is a good idea to come to terms with this most basic, inescapable fact: LIFE MOVES.
Whether you realize it or not, this is a very positive truth. Understanding it is crucial because much of our struggle comes from our resistance to life’s continuous movement into the future. Once we accept the fact that bad things do happen to good people, then we can get on with the business of living life to its fullest – giving, loving, sharing, and walking through every door of opportunity offered by this unpredictable experience called life.
If you are a part of a “fractured family”, there’s a good chance somebody has hurt you. You may bear the wounds of divorce, abandonment, abuse, or some other kind of pain. There is hope for you and your family. The Bible is full of families that had problems. Ever since Cain killed Abel, we’ve all been raising Cains – if we’re able! But if you are looking to find hope for your fractured life, I think the best place to start is the story of Joseph.
Joseph is the central character in the last quarter of Genesis. He was born into a really messed up family. Later, Joseph became a rich and powerful man in Egypt. Most of us know the story of Joseph, and his coat of many colors. But sometimes we overlook what a sad dysfunctional family he had. Even though Joseph grew up in a messed up family, he didn’t blame his problems on his upbringing. He endured being falsely accused of adultery and served jail time for a crime he never committed. Yet he became one of the most powerful men in Egypt. When it looked like he was down to nothing, God was up to something. If you’re struggling with a lot of pain, you may be wondering where God is. You may not realize it, but God is up to something!
Genesis 50:20 is the Romans 8:28 of the Old Testament “and we know that all things work together for the good…” God can give you the grace and strength to look at your painful past and say like Joseph, “You intended to harm, but God intended it for good.” Those two words, “BUT GOD” can make all the difference in your life. There is no situation so chaotic that God cannot from that situation, create something that is surpassingly good. He did it at the creation. He did it at the cross. He is doing it today. If God could make something beautiful out of the messed up life of Joseph, He can handle whatever mess you’re facing.
Reflect: When you’re down to nothing, God is up to something!
Prayer: Father I thank You that You are orchestrating the circumstances of my life to bring about a positive conclusion. Because of You I Have Only Positive Expectations…HOPE.
Written by Pastor Richard J. Brown
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