Many of you know the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors. You know his brothers sold him into slavery. Joseph spent many years in jail because of something he didn't do. Eventually, he became the ruler over the land of Egypt. Because of a drought, the brothers who had sold him, were forced to go to Egypt and beg for food from Joseph. If I had been Joseph, I probably wouldn't have given them anything but a hard time. However, Joseph, rather than getting even, gave them food and money and sent them back for his father, who thought Joseph was dead.
Joseph said to his brothers, "But don’t be angry with yourselves that
you did this to me, for God did it! He sent me here ahead of you to
preserve your lives. These two years of famine will grow to seven,
during which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God has sent
me here to keep you and your families alive, so that you will become a
great nation. Yes, it was God who sent me here, not you! And he has
made me a counselor to Pharaoh, and manager of this entire nation, ruler
of all the land of Egypt."Genesis 45:5-8
If Joseph had a "get even" attitude God would have left him in prison to rot. If he had gotten out of prison with a "get even" attitude, he might have hunted down his brothers and killed them. Had you ever thought that those brothers were the heads of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel? This would include Judah, from whose lineage Christ would descend. God had promised Abraham they would bring forth a nation. Because Joseph didn't seek revenge but depended on the Lord, the plans of God were established in his life and in the lives of his brothers.
So, next time you are tempted to get even, remember the promise God made to Abraham that was carried out through Joseph and his brothers.
To take vengeance, you might be very well be thwarting God's plans.
The bible says, "Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it. Don’t take the law into your own hands." Romans 12:19 Living Bible
If Joseph had a "get even" attitude God would have left him in prison to rot. If he had gotten out of prison with a "get even" attitude, he might have hunted down his brothers and killed them. Had you ever thought that those brothers were the heads of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel? This would include Judah, from whose lineage Christ would descend. God had promised Abraham they would bring forth a nation. Because Joseph didn't seek revenge but depended on the Lord, the plans of God were established in his life and in the lives of his brothers.
So, next time you are tempted to get even, remember the promise God made to Abraham that was carried out through Joseph and his brothers.
To take vengeance, you might be very well be thwarting God's plans.
The bible says, "Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it. Don’t take the law into your own hands." Romans 12:19 Living Bible
No comments:
Post a Comment