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Hatred, conniving, murder plots, evil men, and a deceived and grieving father – How could such things happen under the watchful eye of a sovereign God? Genesis 37 leaves us scratching our heads and wondering, “Where is God in the chapter? What has happened to His promises?” As Nate Baum walked us through this chapter on Sunday, he helped redirect our thoughts to the sovereignty and providence of God even when life may not make sense.

As we follow the narrator through Genesis 37, we encounter a series of unfortunate events. Jacob favors Joseph, one of his youngest sons above all the rest, thus inciting hatred toward Joseph by his brothers. Joseph fuels their hatred by sharing his prophetic dreams of his own rise to power. The brothers want Joseph dead and by all accounts, it looks like they will get what they want. However, we see through what might seem to be chance events that Joseph, instead of being murdered, is sold into slavery. Though God does not cause evil, no event occurred outside the watchful eye of our sovereign God. I am reminded in my life that God always knows about, is involved and cares about every detail in my life. Do I trust God to sustain me when traffic makes me late in returning home from work? Do I rely on Him when my family is sick and I worry that they will not recover fully? No matter the inconvenience, hard circumstance, trial, or problem that comes my way, I can be confident that God is ultimately in control.

At the end of the message, Nate pointed us to Genesis 50:20. Joseph looking back to the events of this chapter remarks to his brothers, “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Joseph was fortunate in seeing God’s intention for the harm that came to him in his life. However, God never promises to tell us the “why” in His purposes and plans. Nevertheless, we as believers can trust that God will sovereignly use the events of our life for good and for God’s glory (Romans 8:28-30).

In the end, Jacob, now an old man, is deceived by his sons. As we wrapped up this account, we feel a sense of déjà vu. Hasn’t this happened before? In Genesis 27, Jacob sows seeds of deception as he tricks his father into giving him Esau’s blessing. This reminds me to be cognizant of the things that I sow. It is a part of God’s sovereign design and plan of this world that we should reap what we sow. Paul’s words to the Galatians seem an apt description of Jacob’s own behavior coming back to bite him.  “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8, ESV).

Throughout this week may the sovereignty of God be a cautious reminder of how we act as well a healing balm as we face difficult circumstances.