Deep Calls Out to Deep

In Genesis 37 Joseph has annoyed his brothers, telling them about his dreams.  Dreams that sound like he will surpass them in every way.  Jacob, their father, already likes him best. They decide to throw him into a pit. My sister and I had some pretty good fights in our day.  I even conked her on the head with my baton once.  I still maintain I was seven, she was eleven, she was bigger, and she was going to hurt me but nonetheless neither one of us ever threw the other into a pit. 

Reuben wanted to save Joseph and was going to go back and rescue him but when Reuben went back, he was gone.  This was because the brothers had sold Joseph to a caravan of Ishmaelites. They came up with a story and told their father Joseph had been killed.

Genesis 37:36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharoah’s officials, the captain of the guard.

Meanwhile…what a powerful word!  It set so many things in motion.  Had Joseph died, had the Midianite merchants not come along, Egypt would have succumbed to famine because Joseph wouldn’t have been there to interpret Pharoah’s dream.  The tribes of Israel would have starved because Egypt wouldn’t have been able to help them.  If the tribes of Israel starve, Judah is gone.  Judah is the line used to have a descendant much later named Jesus.  Meanwhile….

A little over a week ago my husband woke me up from a sound sleep.  He said, I don’t have a job.  I said huh?  He had one when we went to sleep.  Not only did he not have a job, his whole company had shut down abruptly.  This wasn’t a severance situation, this wasn’t an inevitable end that we saw coming, this was a tablecloth abruptly pulled to see if the things on the table could stand.  Did they stand?  Well, after he said I’m freaked out, he said I trust God.  Then for the rest of the week he had a, hard to explain, calm peace. My mind went into budgets, plans, yes I also trust the God I serve but there are times I offer God my unneeded help.

One week and about 12 hours later my husband had an offer letter. An offer letter to a company he has been familiar with for some time, a comparable salary, and a week travel every six weeks.  That travel happens to be where our son and daughter in law live.  We could not have meant to improve our lives in this way.  As a matter of fact, we didn’t even know there was an improvement to be made.

Meanwhile…God always has a plan. Romans 8:28 says plainly All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.  

Is it always easy to see where the train is going?  No. Are the rough bumps scary?  Yes.  But the meanwhile is already happening. And all we do is trust the God we serve.