ON THE VANGUARD

WHAT DO I KNOW?
"Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Come close to me.' When they had done so, he said, 'I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.'"
Genesis 45:4-5

Have you ever wondered what purpose you serve? I have, and I still do at times. I remember when I went to Slovakia on a missions trip back in 1994. I thought I was going for the purpose of witnessing to others in hopes of being used to bring a few people to Christ. As we were traveling on the city's train with our interpreter, he asked us to look over at a billboard. Written in Slovak was an invitation to all that a team from the U.S. was going to teach a pantomime school. I couldn't believe it because just that fall term I had joined a pantomime ministry at the university. Suddenly I knew more clearly why God had placed me on this team.
I am sure that for Joesph it was quite different, though, in that his answer didn't take just a matter of months to be revealed. Joseph was despised by his brothers and thrown into a pit. As the brothers were considering their next move, a traveling slave trade came by and Joseph was soon added to the mix. Landing in Egypt, Joseph began working for Potiphar. God was with Joseph even though times did not get any easier. Potiphar's wife came on to Joseph and when he did not return the advances, she lied about him and stated that it was him who made the advances on her. This lie landed Joseph in prison.
This is the point where I, had I been in Joesph's shoes, would have really begun to question God. Yet even in prison, Joesph trusted God and did not waver in his faith. For this reason, God gave him favor with the prison warden (Gen 39:21). Prisoners began to trust Joesph and on two accounts shared their dreams with him. It was through the interpretation of the dreams that God once again promoted Joesph. As he shared with the Pharaoh concerning the upcoming abundance and famine, the Pharaoh promoted Joesph to second in command.
All these steps had to take place to bring Joesph to the point of power that he was in as his brothers stood before him asking for help. Not knowing it was Joesph, they came humbly seeking food. Joesph had within his hands now the power to crush them or help them. This is worth thinking about because if Joesph had sought revenge, Israel as a nation could have been destroyed. Yet Joesph did help, and in time revealed himself as their long lost brother. He forgave his brothers for their actions and helped them restore all that the famine had stolen from them.
Joesph's example is great. He never stopped trusting in God, never held anger and revenge in his heart, and never gave in to sin when tempted. What the enemy meant for evil, God used for promotion. What Joesph may not have understood years before, God made fully clear in time. And just as in my situation, the reason for which I thought I was going to Europe was not the full reason according to God.
But the key is trust. I do not doubt that if Joesph had not trusted God and considered taking matters into his own hands, that history may be different than we know. Still, Joesph trusted God and as such God promoted. For us the lesson should be the same. We may be in a mess now or be unsure as to why we are in the place we are in, but as we trust in God and allow Him to work, we too will see that what is meant for our destruction will bring about our promotion.