My Crazy Mixed Family #2 Series

We put the fun in dysfunctional. We’re probably a lot like you in that we have struggled in coming to understand why God created us and then placed us in such crazy mixed up families. Can I get a witness? The good news this morning is that we are not alone. Throughout the ages, people have struggled with question, where is God in my family situation. The bible offers plenty of interesting stories of dysfunctional family relationships but we are focusing on the story of Joseph in Genesis. Last week, we uncovered that God doesn’t remove the challenging family, friends and work situations, He works through them. This week we continue on with this story by looking for the answer to the question, where is God when life goes from bad to worse?

Life can be very hard depending on how we were raised and leave us wondering where God is in all this. There will be times when we will want to quit, run and hide. All of which is completely normal. However, let me assure you that these moments are also the place faith is demonstrated, growth is experienced and intimate relationships with the risen lord are formed. When all we have is God, we realize God is all we need.

Last week, we left Joe on his way to Egypt and his father Jacob mourning. He was sold into slavery by his loving brothers who thought they would never see him again. The next few chapters detail Joe’s wins and reversals, his relationship with Potiphar, his wife, the prison warden, the pharaoh’s cup bearer, the pharaoh’s baker, the pharaoh and even the priest’s daughter who would become his wife. He even experiences the blessing of two sons. It’s a rollercoaster of a life but Joe never seems to want to get off or even an escape. There is no running away from his dilemma. No weak efforts, not even an attempt to secret communications to the family, no Facebook request, no tweet, nothing, nada! He doesn’t even complain. For 13 years, he gets handed a whole lot of life including an unjust prison term. However, he never wavers. He continues to try to do his best every time. The repeated scripture says “and the Lord was with Joseph.”

Every time I have read those lines in the past, I’ve thought about God blessing of Joseph because of his being rejected and never thought about how could he have kept going? He was like some kind of human Weeble. Do you remember the Weeble? It was an object with a sphere base and you could push it over and it would always right itself? In a fit of curiosity I found that the bottom of a Weeble has a solid weight and when tipped one way or the other is just heavy enough to use gravity to pull itself right. It seems Joseph was some sort of a human Weeble. Nothing seemed to completely tip him over. In all the chaos of Joe’s life: one broken promise, two betrayals, several bursts of hatred, two abductions, more than one attempted seduction, ten jealous brothers, poor parenting, abuse, unjust imprisonment, and over 2 years of prison food. So what’s the difference between Joseph and so many of us?

What kept him going? Have you ever thought of what you would have done in his position? Could you have kept going? The scripture “And the Lord was with Joseph” takes on more meaning when I contemplate it in these terms. Throughout his indentured life, Joseph never wavers to trust in the Lord. In each major segment he mentions the Lord. Even the Pharaoh notices it in verse 41:38. “Can we find such one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” The question for some of this morning I would suspect, is the God of Joseph still in charge today? It’s easy to say yes when things are good and even when terrible tragedies have seemingly understandable causes. However, what about when life’s curves are explainable? When God shatters our expectations?

Because there are moments we won’t fully understand?

I’ll never forget my first hospital chaplaincy call. I was awakened to the pager at 3am and a nurse who told me the patient had less than hour to live. As I rode the elevator, I prayed for the spirit of the Lord and the right words for the family. As I walked into the room, there were about 20 people sitting around this room. The patient was directly in front of me. He was about my age. On the floor holding his hand was his wife. I announced as I entered the room, “Hello my name is Chaplain Bob, Is there anything I can do?” to which the woman on the floor said, “Yes. Can you tell me why God is trying to kill my husband?” I stood dumbfounded like a deer in the headlights. I then responded, “I don’t know have an answer to that question, but I do have a bible and I know how to pray and at times like these, I find very helpful to do both. Would you like me too?” She responded affirmatively. The rest of the evening was blur for us all.