19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21, NIV)
There is a kind of improvisation that happens in jazz and blues from the African American culture. Jazz and blues are the music of a philosophy of life and pain. There is usually no sheet music, one just gets a key signature from the pianist or keyboardist and the rhythm from the bass player. The settling-in is brief. You need to ready to quickly adjust to abrupt changes of rhythm or chords. Or worse, the musicians may decide to stop playing without a warning. Perpetual shifts and changes in the music can make things feel rushed. New experiences can be difficult. There is no time to catch life’s music because things seem to be moving too fast. All we have are brief dreams of what it could sound like. But the more familiarity we have with the ensemble, the more we begin to recognize what is being assembled. It would be nice to have the sheet music directing what is coming next in life, but there is no script when the music is being written live; only the anticipation that the completed work will be good. Joseph must have had some of this improvisational angst when his brothers dropped him in a basket and sent him off to new opportunities in Egypt, or perhaps as an immigrant in a foreign land; or maybe in his engagement with the authorities or other workers. There is irony in this masterpiece of Joseph’s life that gives a crucial reminder that occurs when we see God’s presence. When things fell apart for Joseph, he didn’t check out. Joseph did not punch his brothers or overthrew the government of Egypt or performed a coup deposing Potiphar on account of the pain that he received. Somewhere along the line Joseph caught on to the fact that there will be minor key changes and dropped notes and a lot of improvising that will be necessary in life. There is no sheet music in a basket while you’re on your way to slavery. Why would he hold back the brotherly beat-down his brothers expected in Genesis 50? Because Joseph had had some dreams that reminded him that God was involved and present. Joseph addressed that their intent did not supersede God’s intent: “Even though you intended to harm me.” The irony is that the worst of circumstances are meant for good when God’s presence is more than a doctrine. When we recognize the presence of God wandering through relationships, we find that reconciliation is occurring. God changes the rhythm or the sound but it is always the same score. The good work God began in the garden after the fall will continue – and He will continue it until Christ Jesus comes, looking at a bad, painful, humiliating cross and turning it into something cosmically good for all who believe. Joseph dreams of God’s presence and knows the diminished and flat circumstances will be for major good. Gracious God, when our urgency and anxiety press us to push for change, remind us of Joseph who clearly show us that Your timing is best. Comments are closed.
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