This is one of my favorite commercials! I love the thought of keeping a journal recording all the times your mind has been blown. 1. "Being born" 2. "My first hat!"... I laugh every time I watch this!
Yesterday I had one of those mind blowing moments where I could have pulled out my mind blown journal to record what I saw God do. I have been studying the story of Joseph for at least 2 years on and off. I have read the story many times and thought I had seen everything there was to see. And then, God blew my mind! He revealed to me His heart. It is so true.. His ways are NOT our ways!
Let me share with you what He shared with me ..
We all know the general story of Joseph. He is the favored son of Jacobs and has several brothers who do not like him. You really can't blame the brothers, they were reminded of their standing with their father every time Joseph entered the room with his special multicolored coat. Where the story get messy is when Joseph shares his God dreams with his family. He tells them that they will someday bow down to him. This revelation was the straw that broke the camels back. They plotted to kill him but ended selling him and sending him off to a life of slavery in Egypt never to be seen again by his father.
As I was reading this, I thought.. the brothers sinned because they didn't have their eyes on God. They were hurt because of the favoritism they saw their Dad give Joseph and took matters into their own hands instead of taking it to God. I believe if they fixed their eyes on God with their pain and allowed Him to heal them He would had given them all their own dreams. However, we do get to see how not fixing our eyes on Jesus will make the messy middle, messier.
Hold tight we are not to the mind blowing part of the story yet...
Fast forward 20 years.. Joseph has endured 13 years of slavery and prison. He had suffered greatly and grieved the loss of his family. I am sure his heart was broken because he knew he would never see his father or homeland again. However, He shows us how to suffer well through out his story. In every discouraging situation he found himself in, he accepted and turned and trusted God. After 13 years of suffering, he is brought out of prison and delivered into a high position of power.. all because people recognized that he carried the glory of God. God gave Joseph a plan that would keep a nation from famine. For 7 years He stored up grain.. God was preparing Joseph to help those who could not help themselves.
When the famine came, Josephs brothers showed up for help. When they first met, his brothers do not recognize him. They assumed he was dead after all those years. However, Joseph knew immediately who they were. I can only imagine the hurt that began to well up in his heart.
Here is the mind blowing part
I asked myself, how did Joseph keep himself from hating.. judging .. and then killing them?
If this were me.. I would have acted out of what I saw in my circumstances and passed judgment to have them killed. I would not of fixed my eyes on Jesus.. because I am sure Jesus would of agreed with me. They deserved death after all they had done.. or did they?
Because Joseph turned and trusted God with his pain he didn't make the messy middle, messier.
God revealed to Joseph that what his brothers intended for evil He used for good. God used the evil of slavery and prison to fashion a leader and savior for his family and a nation.
Instead of a death sentence, Josephs family received provision and protection?!... GOD DID NOT CONDEMN THEM FOR THE PAIN THEY CAUSED THEIR BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mind blowing!
Just think, if Joseph would of judged and sentenced his brothers on his own he would of messed up Gods plans for redemption and restoration.
Again.. I am reminded to fix my eyes on Jesus always.. His ways are never my ways..
Mind blowing part.. because of this revelation ..my understanding of His heart for me is taken to a much deeper level. I often judge myself and others before I go to Jesus, which keeps me from seeing His heart in the matter.. keeps me from His love. I am now more inclined to go to Him and trust because He wants relationship and restoration... not death.
Thank you, Jesus! You have won me again!
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