21/04/2022
*All Things Work Together for good*
The promise of *Romans 8:28* that God works for our good “in all things” is reassuring. It means that no matter the circumstance, there are only two qualifiers for God to be working all things together for our good.
First, He works for “the good of those who love Him.” If you love God, you can trust that He is working for your good. He loves you back, and when we love people, we seek their welfare.
Second, He works for “those who are called according to His purpose.” Do you realize that following God entails submitting to His purpose for you? You have been called by Him for a purpose that He holds for your life.
In fact, the wording of this verse suggests that these two qualifiers–loving God and experiencing His call–are actually one. Those who love God are called according to His purpose. And vice versa.
Being called according to God’s purpose also reminds us what “our good” actually is. It’s not our comfort or worldly success. It’s the furthering of His purpose through us.
The story of Joseph is taken from Genesis Chapter 37- to the very end of the book chapter 50.
It is through this story that we identify with Josephs pain and suffering and yet He lived this life as we find in Romans chapter 8 verse 28,
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
In Chapter 37 of Genesis we find that Joseph was 17 years of age and it says in verse 3
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors] 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and
eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
So we find that Joseph’s brothers begin planning to kill him. Verse 20 says “come know let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits”
But a brother Ruben heard this and he convinced the others not to kill him but to just throw him in a pit. Later they ended up selling him to some Ishmaelite’s who were gypsies going by, so they sold him onto slavery and Joseph ended up in Egypt. He was the sold to Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh. Potiphar in chapter 39 you can turn there with me, Potiphar made Joseph in charge
of everything he had,Verse 3, Despite his young age and his circumstances he was made in charge of everything in Potiphar house.
“His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had”.
But then he was put in prison because Potiphar wife wanted him to lay with her and he refused, saying “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”
So she lied about him and he was put in prison by her husband, while in prison, the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners, who were in the prison.
This is where he meets the baker and cup bearer who knows the Palace and the King therefore the way to being a prime minister
Now you know how it all works for good for them that love the Lord God
