Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 40:1). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
Our story today is from Genesis 37:23-30. Joseph brothers do not like him because he is their father’s favorite son. In addition Joseph has dreams from the Lord that he shares with his brothers, which cause even more strife. His brothers refer to him as the dreamer and can’t say one good word about him. Joseph is sent by his father to check on his older brothers and as he approaches their camp they plot how to kill him by throwing him in a cistern.
23 So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24 Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. 27 Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. 28 So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.
29 Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief. 30 Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, “The boy is gone! What will I do now?”
Place yourself in the story and pretend for a moment you are Joseph. You are in the cistern crying, bruised and the situation seems hopeless. Where is God? Is he helpless? Does he hear my cries? Have I been forgotten? I believe if I had been Joseph I would have been asking those questions as I cried out to God.
The Lord does hear our cries. He is saddened by how we treat each other and feels our pain more than we have any idea. If you are a parent when your children are hurt by others it hurts you deeply.
One of my favorite Psalms in from Psalm 55:22, “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”
In the midst of my sorrow and situation the Lord Jesus is with me and he gives me peace, strength and hope. My situation may not improve, but when I cry out to the Lord I have to trust the Lord that he is walking with me. Sometimes we have to ask the Lord help me trust you him.
Where is the Lord calling you to place a deeper trust in him?
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ge 37:23–30). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ps 55:22). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.