Joseph saw God’s gracious hand using his life for the good of others.Ĥ.
Joseph knew God loved him unconditionally because God had guided his whole life through many troubles even though Joseph was a sinner like other sinners. He made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Verse 8: So then, it was not you who sent me here but God. Verse 7: God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
How did Joseph know God loved him unconditionally? Verse 5: … do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. Single out Joseph’s words to his brothers in verses 1-15. This is odd because usually the one who has been hurt spends most of his time focusing on his own pain and anger.ģ. On whose anger did Joseph focus in verse 5? Why is this odd to human ears? He focused on their anger at themselves for having made such a mess of his life and that of their whole family. Joseph’s brothers were still rascals and that fact alone could make him hate them.Ģ. Joseph had dreams from God that confirmed that Joseph was supposed to rise to power so he could mistakenly justify a grudge because God was on his side. His brothers had sold him even though he begged them for mercy as their dear brother. His brothers had robbed him of precious years with family that he could never get back. Name at least three good reasons Joseph had for nursing a grudge against his brothers? 1. to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” “Do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. Then, focus your attention on Genesis 45:115 and answer the following questions. But first, if you do not know Joseph’s story well, read Genesis 37, 39–44. God enables us to have that same kind of love for those who hurt us.
Joseph shows what unconditional love looks like. Study Joseph’s words below when he revealed himself to his brothers after being away for over 20 years. True character shines through in how we handle our successes as much as failures. After his rise to power he showed his true colors. Ultimately, Joseph forgave everyone who hurt him. Talk about traumatic stress! Joseph’s life could have been defined by deep sorrow and bitterness over, betrayal and neglect. Add the story of how Pharaoh’s cupbearer forgot Joseph in prison. Then, Potiphar’s wife framed Joseph for doing the right thing. That would be enough to catapult anyone into lifelong bitterness. His brothers tried to kill him and then sold him into slavery. Joseph had been deeply hurt by many people. But one of the most revealing examples of unconditional love appears in the life of Joseph in the last few chapters of Genesis. Scripture shares several examples of people who showed unconditional love toward others, including Jesus, the apostle Paul, and David and Jonathan. Unconditional love is a defining mark of a Christian’s life. Finally, one mature woman said, “In the Christian home people have God’s unconditional love to share with one another.” She was right. Yes, but lots of people in the world have faith, even though it is the wrong faith. One person said that Christians have faith and worldly people don’t. Another said, “In a Christian home the people follow the Ten Commandments.” That’s true but many worldly people try to follow the Ten Commandments too. But I know some pagan homes where they respect each other quite well. One woman said that in a Christian home people respect each other more than in a worldly one. “What makes a Christian home different than a worldly one?” I once posed that question to a small group Bible study. Portraits of a Mature Christian Unconditional Love in All Relationships
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