Genesis 50/20 Vision

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Genesis 50:19-20

Oh, for me to have a Genesis 50/20 perspective on all things done against me, from the petty to the catastrophic. Oh, for my initial reaction to be confidence in God’s redemptive power instead of anguish.

There is no evil that wins in my life if I press in to seek redemption. No evil done against me takes God by surprise. Ever. He saw it ahead of time and planned long ago how to wield authoritative power in order to transform it from a ‘Calvary’ to a ‘resurrection’. To seek it, to expect it, to believe it, is my dilemma when it appears my life has been taken from me. This describes the ultimate battle for faith.

Does this mean that I don’t feel the pain of betrayal? Does this mean that my right to cry out from the pit (as Joseph did) is spiritually unbecoming? Not at all. Jesus cried so deeply that the stress He felt made Him sweat drops of blood. I, too, acknowledge loss. I grieve. But underlying all of it must be a trust in a God that does not let evil have the last word. Pain should never cause me to back up from God – just draw closer.

If two scriptures could marry, consider wedding together Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28. The first explains why the latter is true. Because any evil done against me God uses for my good, all things work together for good to those who love God.

At this very moment, you may be a victim of evil scheming. The perpetrator looks all-powerful. Your present circumstances predict defeat and a bleak future. This is the time to don the eyeglasses of faith. A Genesis 50/20 vision can be the lens through which you view your circumstances today. Through your tears, you can proclaim that this is not the end – but simply an invitation for God to pronounce new life.

Joseph was a dreamer ~ then a slave ~ then a prisoner ~ but finally a ruler. The one who lived this story is the one who preached to his perpetrators, “You meant evil but God meant it for good.” He realized this truth after his deliverance but Jesus, the One who makes all things new, predicted His own resurrection long before His death. Redemption ruled His perspective in the midst of His darkest times. It can also rule mine.

I cry but I don’t despair. Permeate my mind and heart with a default response of faith in Your goodness. Amen