"In Loving Memory...What Will You Leave Behind?" - 20m39:s

Scott McFarland
10/01/17 - Sun AM Worship

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

God Used It for Good

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

—Genesis 50:20

This verse comes at the end of the story of Joseph in Genesis, a story with which you are probably familiar.  One day when Joseph was a young man, his brothers imprisoned him and sold him into slavery to another country because they were jealous of their father’s favoritism of Joseph.  Joseph, by God’s providence, survives and rises to become the second in command of all Egypt, the most powerful nation at the time.  Years later, Joseph’s brothers meet up with Joseph again while traveling to Egypt to buy grain during a huge famine.  God had used Joseph during a severe famine to store up enough food for the entire region to save thousands of lives, his own brothers being some of them.  After discovering who their brother was, and sorry that they had sold their brother into slavery, Joseph’s brothers are scared for their lives thinking that Joseph is going to seek revenge for their horrible action years ago.  Instead, Joseph responds with mercy and grace.

Sometimes, when we mess up, we think the situation is hopeless.  We feel like God couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything good because of our sin.  The reality is that, while God hates sin, he also uses our own sin and mistakes for His glory and ultimate purpose.  God is more than our mistakes; he used Joseph’s brothers hatred and betrayal to save their lives along with thousands of others.  Don’t let Satan lead you into believing that your failures are irreparable.  God is bigger than that.  He can use it for good.

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