But God Made Me

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

BUT GOD MADE ME

Gen 45:8-15

8 "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. 9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don't delay. 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me — you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.' 12 "You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly." 14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.

NIV

The reunion of all reunions as Joseph reveals the truth to his brothers and wants them to bring the whole family down to Egypt so they can live. We consider Joseph to be a foreshadow of Jesus, being the deliverer. But we did not spend time pondering on this one statement of Joseph regarding the fact his brothers were not responsible for him being in Egypt but it was God. This brings us right into our story. Have we been one to determine where we are or has it been God? Truth be known, it has always been God. From the first day of our conversion, we have placed our lives in the hands of God. He is the one who has directed our path, showing us where to live, giving us the means to live, opening the doors to certain jobs, closing those doors, and moving us along the path to specific churches, to learn and grow. He has moved us several times keeping us within his purpose for our lives. Living by faith has been exciting, due to lacking a better word. He is the one who began all this work in our lives, and he is the one who is going to finish it. We have simply followed his leadership. Man has had nothing to do with where we are and what we do unless God used them for his benefit in our lives. Just as the brothers physically sold Joseph, they were being moved by the hand of God, so that Joseph would be their deliverer, He has used some people to cause us to be where we are today. Some may think they are in charge of their own lives, that they have the rudder to their ship in their own hands, but it is God who oversees the weather causing that ship, that life, to blow in a specific direction. He also brings that storm, that swamping of the ship, so they cry out for deliverance from him. Father continue to lead us, guide each step in our lives, so that we are always just where you want us and doing exactly what you want us to be doing. We know it is God who made us who we are.