Our life is sometimes like a jigsaw puzzle. Often we find great difficulty in making sense of the incidents, events, circumstances, problems and difficulties that we face in everyday life. Sometimes we understand though most of the times we do not. At times our life may even appear to be in a mess and at other times things may appear to be slowly taking a shape. We are terribly disturbed by the gross injustices done to us, too. The more we try to understand the incidents that we encounter or find answers to questions that troubles us, the more we are confused. Thus the best thing to do is to leave everything to God. Our thought for reflection this Monday morning is, “Our God is quite aware of both the good and the bad that happens to us.”
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he had been born to him in his old age. And he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” (Genesis 37:3-4).
Chapter 37 is the beginning of a new section in the book of Genesis, which introduces to us Joseph as a young man. He is projected here as a teenager who experienced both love and hatred in his life. Joseph can be considered as a typical example of a Christian who experiences both good and bad in this fallen and evil world.
1. Joseph ENJOYED special blessings .
The Bible says, “Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons...” (Genesis 37:3a). Probably Jacob was doing what his own mother Rebekah did to him. Jacob definitely practised favouritism by loving Joseph more than any of his other children. Joseph even received a specially made robe from his father. Though they appear to be special preferences or partiality shown by Jacob towards Joseph, they are just glimpses of the special favours that Joseph received from God later in his life. Are we taking our blessings for granted without realizing that they are special divine favours which we do not deserve at all?
2. Joseph EXPERIENCED hatred.
Three times the Bible says that Joseph was hated by his brothers. Genesis 37:4b says, “…they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” Genesis 37:5 says, “Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.” Again the Bible again says, “And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said” (Genesis 37:8b). These experiences of Joseph emphasizes the truth that the sufferings to the righteous are definitely known to God. Are we terribly troubled when we experience hatred, abuse and ill treatment at the hands of those who live and work with us and those who are close to us?
Let’s pray:
“Dear Lord, I come before you with gratitude for all the special blessings and privileges that I enjoy though I really do not deserve them. Give me the grace and patience to handle the ill treatment, abuse and hatred that I experience every day in my life. I believe the words of the Psalmist who says, “For His anger lasts only a moment but His favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalms 30:5). Lord I am comforted by the thought that you are fully aware of what I am going through. In Jesus’ name I pray,... Amen!
Have a blessed week!