The Story of Joseph

For the past few years, I have been doing a Read Through the Bible in a Year Plan. It's really a pretty neat plan as the reading for each day includes something from the Old Testament, the New Testament, a Psalm, and a verse or two from Proverbs.  I am always glad it is not just straight through the Bible when I am in the midst of some of the more challenging books such as Leviticus, Numbers, or Ezekiel!!  And I am always amazed at what I forget from year to year, and what stories stick out some years more than others.

Right now I am reading the story of Joseph in the Old Testament.  It is always one of my favorites!!  As I have read through the much of the story, I am once again amazed at all Joseph endured!  I am sure that Joseph's life went nothing like he thought it should.  And yet, it went perfectly according to God's plan.  He was sold by his brothers.  He was jailed and falsely accused of a crime.  Hardly what I would consider a good time!  And yet, so often the story is viewed as "that's just how it went!" We tend to remove the humanity from the story, put in our own perspective of time, and just accept what happened.  And yet, as I was reading, I could not help but wonder Joseph's thoughts as he was sold as a slave and began life in Egypt, and then later was imprisoned for over two years.  He must have questioned what in the world God was doing!  I know I would have!

I love that stories like Joseph's are in the Bible.  So often our lives don't go according to our plan.  And in our frustration and disappointment, it can be hard to understand how what is happening is part of God's plan for our life.  And yet, it is!!  It may take weeks, months, years, or until we get to Heaven to understand the full picture of God's plan.  But we have to trust that His plan is always what is best as He already sees the big picture.  He knows how our story will end.  And in the end, Joseph saw how God worked through all those horrific events in his life to complete God's purpose for his life and for the lives of so many others.  Tonight I am grateful for Bible stories such as Joseph, that are amazing stories, and can help in our lives today!  What a gift that is!