Sunday Sentiments

 If I stay on my current track, I think I'll be finishing up the book of Genesis right around the end of this calendar year. (I hope that's the case. I do love endings with a neat, tidy bow.)

I'm studying Joseph's life right now, and my most recent chapter took me through the season of his imprisonment and years of leadership in preparation for the famine.

My study book paused to put the spotlight on God's character shown in that time of Joseph's life. It challenged me to think about how I would have responded in situations similar to his, and I have to say: not well was my answer. 

If my siblings had thrown me in hole and sold me into slavery and I ended up falsely accused of wrongdoing and did a multi-year stint in prison for it...I highly doubt those around me would have seen the finest side of Bekah. (By a long shot.) 

But my study showed me how each of those events positioned Joseph to be where he needed to be for God's biggest plan for his life, which was to be the leader who prepared a nation to survive a seven year famine.

And the reason he was trusted for any of that was because Joseph proved himself trustworthy in the most rotten moments. 

So in this pause, I'm relearning the names of God's character attributes...you know. Omnipresent, omniscient, eternal, and more. 

Here's what I need to remember: He always knows.

God knew all those things about Joseph's life before any of them happened. He knew Joseph would be beloved over his brothers and hated by them for it. He knew Joseph would be betrayed and sold. God made a place for him...even though that place was in prison. Because it was in prison that God brought Joseph to the people in power who would need him most. 

God knows all the things about my life, too. He knows where He wants me and how I need to get there.

The things that are hard might be the things I truly need most in order to align with what He has for me.

He knows, my friends. He knows the hard of your life. He knows the good of your life. He works it together for His purposes.