I’ve recently done a study through the book of Genesis and was especially captivated by the story of Joseph, realizing he was about 17 years old when his brothers sold him into slavery and close to 30 years old when he was elevated to the second-in-command in all of Egypt. He had been through much unjust treatment, imprisonment, and waited about 13 years, faithfully serving God all the while. The story is quite amazing to follow.

One amazing thing that impacted me was the way Joseph never wanted to do anything against God. When Potiphar’s wife tried several times to get him to sleep with her, he said, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”-Genesis 39:9 – When Pharaoh dreamed dreams he didn’t understand and wanted Joseph to interpret them, Joseph told Pharaoh that it was not him that could interpret, but that God would give Pharaoh “a favorable answer.” – Genesis 41:16

Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of preparing all of Egypt for the upcoming 7-year famine and storing up enough grain to feed everyone in Egypt and also sell to others. He was second in charge only to Pharaoh himself! During this time, Joseph’s father Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain so they could eat and not starve. Jacob thought Joseph was dead, based on what Joseph’s brothers caused him to believe from those 12-13 years earlier.

You can read the entire story in Genesis of how the brothers journeyed without their youngest brother Benjamin, how Joseph treated them when they did not know he was their brother, and how Joseph insisted they come back with their youngest brother in order to buy more grain. Eventually Joseph revealed himself to them as their brother.

Reading in Genesis 45:4-5, “So Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come near to me, please.’ And they came near and he said, ‘I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

There is so much more to this story and I encourage you to read it for yourself.

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The point I wanted to make of how God showed me it applies in my life is in my marriage to my second husband, Ted.

Ted used to say that he believed God brought us together, and he said I was his true soul-mate, and that God brought me to him. I never agreed with this because I felt that I had been in disobedience to God when I married him.

You see, I have outlived 2 husbands, and I raised my 3 children by God’s grace as a single mom. I had waited on God for 15 years, believing He had another husband for me, but I had simply gotten tired of waiting and I decided to do things my own way. Even though I, like Joseph, wanted to honor God in my life and never really wanted to sin against Him, I felt that I did. Sure, I later repented and know God forgives me, but the thing God has now revealed to me just fits with Joseph’s story and blessed my heart when He showed it to me!

The beautiful thing God has now shown me through studying about Joseph in Genesis is that God allowed this, even in my disobedience, because He had a perfect plan for Ted and me, and I now believe that God sent me! You see, Ted developed a neurological disorder called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and he needed me to care for him. I realize that God sent me 19 years earlier, even in what I thought was disobedience on my part, so I could care for my husband.

I post this to encourage you, my precious reader, that no matter what you may have done in your life, God can use it for your good and for His glory. I would love to hear your story of how you have seen this in your life and can also say, God sent me!

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