The Hand of God

A friend loaned me this book. I started reading it while we were in BC but was too distracted by the company and view to really get into it. This past Saturday I picked it up again, and since I was actually taking some time to be still, what I read moved me. Convicted. Comforted. I think those are the two actions any good book like this must strive to do: convict while comforting.

In this book, Alistair Begg takes the reader through the story of Joseph. I find it interesting that if we ponder Biblical suffering (apart from the suffering of Jesus) our eyes turn to Job. We assume this posture of uncertainty: how would I respond if every joy in my life was stripped away? We puzzle our way around why God would allow this; does He still allow it today?

The story of Joseph is clearer. If you read it backwards, you see that it was necessary for Joseph to be in Egypt to save the Lord's people. With the hindsight of the seven years of famine and Joseph's rise to power we can see the good that was worked. It is the perfect vantage point on suffering: we understand the why.

Joseph didn't. He was the same as any of us who stood in the midst of a storm and cling to God, not understanding what possible good could come from such a trial. He was sold into slavery. His refusal to give into temptation and sin against God with Potiphar's wife landed him in the dungeon.

Brought low for a purpose.

Begg writes,

"The center of God's will may take us into the eye of a storm. For Joseph the storm was the back of a smelly camel going down to Egypt. We should not seek to confirm God's will by the absence of adversity... God will accomplish His purposes even though for the time being it might appear that everything has gone awry...

It takes the tests of trials to make us useful to God. Some of us are not as useful as we might be, for in shunning the trials we have missed the blessings. We do not have the tender hearts that come from nights of tears. We don't seek the tears, but they will indeed come from the Father's hand. And they will come so that we might be prepared to accomplish His will in our lives and in the lives of others." (44-45)

What an encouragement it is to be reminded that, even though we stand in the midst of a storm that threatens to topple us, we may still be in the center of God's will. He may be testing our faith to bring us to a new level of usefulness to Him. He may be teaching us empathy, compassion, or perseverance so that when the time comes, we are prepared to accomplish His will. Awesome!

More on this book later!