Today’s Reading, Genesis 48-50
Focal Scripture: Genesis 50:20 “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result — the survival of many people.”
We all make plans about how we think life will proceed. We make plans for our future. Plans to be successful. We make sure our families are taken care of around us daily. There are also people around us who plan us harm. They actively seek to see our ruin and have us be undone. Everyone has a plan for something.
In today’s reading we see the evidence of plans. Joseph tells his brothers that they planned evil against him. They wanted to kill him and then they decided to sell him. However, God’s plan was for Joseph to experience what he did in his life. It was Gods plan to have Joseph in Egypt to protect his family and ultimately the line of the Messiah. God has greater plans than any of us can imagine.
The problem for believers is do we believe that God has plans. I think many reject that thought process. They think that everything is free will and things happen by circumstance. However, scripture teaches different. It teaches that God knows what he is doing and that he has thought through the process. This is a tricky situation for most people. We know we make our own choices but we also can’t deny that God is involved with the affairs of life. So how do we reconcile these two truths.
We realize that God is sovereign. All that means is that God can do what he wants when he wants and doesn’t need anyone’s permission. He is independent of others. In no way does this take away free will. It does reveal that both truths are true. People can make choices but God will move to accomplish his ultimate purpose. Which is to glorify his name.
So what does this mean for believers? It means that we must be in a continual state and attitude of trust. As we make our decisions we must rely on his sovereignty. We must know that we can trust his plans. God is never taken by surprise. He never says I was unaware. God understands and knows because he can see it all, from eternity past to eternity future.
This truth might cause you some stress. You might draw back from this truth. However, let me ask you a question. If God can be limited in anyway, is he really God? The answer is absolutely not. God transcends everything. This should give us hope not doom.
We get hope because we know that no matter what decisions we make Gods plans our greater. He understands us and knows that we need him in our lives. Trust Gods sovereignty today. Know he is actively working. Believe that he really is God.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Exodus 1-3
