Joseph to his non-deserving brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good—so that many people should be kept alive… Do not fear. I will provide for you and your little ones.’ He comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:20-21
Heavenly Father, this is a tragic story with a shocking outcome. Joseph’s brothers sold him to pagan strangers, who took him to Egypt where he ended up spending 13 years in an Egyptian prison. Twenty-two years after being trafficked, Joseph confronted his brothers with their evil and proclaimed your sovereignty over that evil. Then he kindly comforted them—pledging safety and provision. Say what?
While this series of events encourages us, it also triggers emotions and raises questions. Abba, as you know, many of us begin 2025 somewhere in this story—victims and agents of the unthinkable, waiting and praying for a redemptive outcome, not sure why you’d even let some things happen. Help us, for we all have a little of Joseph and Joseph’s brothers in us. We all equally need your grace.
The good you brought out of this evil is glorious—but the evil itself is disturbing. As we begin 2025, we are grateful the “smell like Christmas” is still on us. By sending Jesus into our world, you made clear how much you love us and hate evil. Jesus came to redeem us and destroy evil—only He can do both, and we are grateful Jesus did/does/will do both unto completion.
So how do we relate to this story January 2, 2025? Whether our deepest hurts come through the hands of people we trust, evil in a fallen world, or hard-to-understand-providence—we know the devil intends to use these things for even more evil. We don’t want that. We will resist him, and we will collapse on Jesus—hour by hour if need be.
Father, we know you do not intend us to use Genesis 50:20 as a spiritual Band-Aid—on ourselves or on others. So may the greater Joseph—Jesus himself, bring his kindness, comfort, and provision to us … and extend it through us. So Very Amen.