Meanwhile, back at home, Joseph's father and brothers were experiencing famine as well. They heard food was plentiful in Egypt so Jacob, Joseph's dad, sent the brothers to Egypt to see if they could obtain some food. Little did they know who they would be dealing with – their long lost, little punk brother, Joseph. Bowing at his feet they make their request. After toying with his brothers a bit, and who could blame him, Joseph reveals his identity. They are terrified and rightly so! Joseph's response?
But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. — Genesis 45:5-8 NKJV
Joseph's prophetic dream was not thwarted! All the moments of anxiety were actually filled with divine meaning and purpose.
God sent Joesph ahead of his family not only to preserve the family, but to preserve the whole nation of Israel who would eventually bring us our Savior, Jesus.
Joseph could only see each moment in his Lower Story (human experience), but God saw meaning in every one of those minutes and used them to carry out his Upper Story (divine purpose).
Back to Randy's and my story. Much like Joseph's detour to Egypt, we saw our pregnancy as a diversion to getting seminary finished and into ministry. We were looking at our life minute-by-minute from a Lower Story perspective. But God saw this little baby, who was his idea, from a grand Upper Story perspective; infused with meaning and part of His long-term plan.
Randy had been volunteering for a non-profit organization after his classes, and two weeks before I went into labor, the board of that organization voted to bring Randy on part-time and replace my salary. So Randy decided to go to seminary part time and work part time. Our plan was not thwarted anymore than Joesph's. It was just slowed down a bit.
Our baby girl, Jennifer, was born, and because Randy's drive was long and traffic heavy he wasn't able to get home before Jennifer went to bed. We decided to move across town to shorten his commute. We started attending a church at the end of the street our house was on. A month later, the pastor resigned. After about two years of searching for a new pastor, the committee came to Randy and asked him if he would consider throwing his hat in the ring as a candidate. At 28 years of age, we thought, "This is a real long shot!" After they came to him the third time to request he do it, he said, "Ok." Long story short he got the job!
Who would have thought a sweet little baby girl we thought came too early in our Lower Story would actually guide us in the exact place to receive our first ministry assignment from God in his Upper Story.
What enabled Joseph through those years of ups and downs? Joseph never lost sight of the fact that God had given Abraham a promise to bless all nations through him and his offspring. As direct descendants of Abraham, Joseph knew God had this plan for his family, and he clung to that promise. For us, although fear crept in from time to time, we knew God had a plan, we just couldn't see it. We repeatedly reminded ourselves of the apostle Paul's teaching in Romans 8:28,
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God.
— NKJV
If it wasn't going to be full-time ministry, we knew whatever God planned would be "good."
If I could leave you with one encouragement it would be this. When life throws you curve balls, trust God like Joseph did. Cling to the promises in the Bible and persevere with faith remembering we see "minutes" in our Lower Story, but God sees the bigger meaning from His Upper Story. He is guiding you to where He wants you to be at just the right time.
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