Trusting God – Part II
Gen 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
When raking the past does not seem to address our trials, we are tempted to bring up our good deeds. But God works outside the realms of our deed and intentions. Reuben reminds them that he warned against hurting Joseph. But he was wrong to imagine the selling of Joseph was anything but a preordained event – concluded before the world began. We should trust God when we cannot have our way and when our ideas are not accepted. Saying “I told you so” is a heathen’s response or an insult to a God who has unlimited permutations to work through and still achieve the end He had predetermined. Trusting God when the way seems far from our expected track can be difficult. But remember God has told us that His ways differ from ours … as far as the earth is from the Heavens … an irreconcilable gap needs to be closed. The Holy Spirit helps us.
The sermon of Reuben is good but is irrelevant … it only prolongs pain but offers no comfort. Many times, Jesus is present to soothe and comfort us – but “Reubens” must drag in their achievements and credentials. The Reubens must learn to trust God as well as the other brothers who failed to heed good advice.
Maybe you are like Reuben. Indeed you do well to point out the warnings of consequences for sin, but we fail when we do not reveal the comforting truths of Christ’s death and resurrection … His blood, shed as a double cure to break the addictive strength of sin and its power to destroy. Whether the people hear or not – God continues His work unimpeded. We see that sin disturbs and hurts us … but not God or His eternal purposes. The wages of sin is indeed death … but death is still only an angel waiting for God’s directions.
Reuben is partially right, but has incomplete information to conclude that Joseph’s blood was shed and that Joseph is dead. He is unaware perhaps that their brother was sold for money. God has all the information and you may unknowingly be speaking from a position already corrupted with misrepresentation. We may be sincere but still wrong or have very incomplete knowledge.
The solution is to learn in all things to just trust Him who knows all and perfectly too. Peter was sleeping, trusting God when an angel came to escort him out through open gates to a freedom from a death sentence. It is so sweet to trust in Jesus.
Song.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there is no other way,
To be happy in Jesus – But to trust and obey.
Prayer: O Lord, when overwhelmed with perplexities – teach me to lay them all down at Calvary as I take all to you in prayer. Amen
The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory. We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious because God works His marvellous agenda. Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily. Edited by Bolade Apampa
