Joseph to his shocked brothers, “’You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, so that many people should be kept alive… Do not fear. I will provide for you and your little ones.’ He comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:20-21
Heavenly Father, this is a stunning story with a shocking outcome. Thank you for authoring it. Joseph’s brothers trafficked him to pagan strangers. Then he lived 13 years in an Egyptian prison. And after all that, here Joseph stands, confronting his brothers with their evil and proclaiming your sovereignty over the same evil. Then he speaks kindly and provides generously for them. This triggers all kinds of feelings, raises all kinds of questions.
The good you brought out of this evil is profound—but the evil itself is disturbing. Joseph’s brothers didn’t get a pass; they were “heavenly-humbled” and experienced your radical grace. But Genesis 50:20 didn’t become a Biblical Band-Aid by which we are to heal anybody’s wounds lightly—like false prophets tried to do (Jer.6:14). Abba, you hate evil, and sent Jesus to defeat the devil and eradicate all evil one Day. Thank you. Hasten that Day.
So how do we relate to this story? Whether our deepest hurts and hardest stories come through weaponized cruelty, life in a fallen world, tragic accidents, or our own hands—the devil intends to use these things as evil for more evil. Will we let him? That’s such an important question. Father, we are desperate for your help with this.
We don’t understand the mystery of your sovereignty over all things, and your commitment to work in all things for our good (Rom.8:28). But we count on it, wrestle with it, rest in it, and cannot fathom life without it. Help us, Father. Keep revealing more of Jesus to us. So Very Amen.
