The article is excerpted from Fast Track: Genesis to Revelation.
From the pages of the Old Testament to the pages of the New Testament, Scripture records what God has done in the hearts and lives and affairs of mankind. Each chapter chronicles the activity of God and man.
The stories remind us of God's heart for all mankind - that there's always been a plan for the redemption of man. There has always been provision to save His people. In the Old Testament the plan may have been shrouded in a mystery or a prophecy. But in the New Testament the plan is out in the open, on full display. Jesus Christ is the mystery unveiled. The plan for redemption is in full effect.
Saint Augustine said, "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." The church isn't a book, but it does have a story. It begins in the Book of Acts, and it continues to be written today. Some chapters of the church's history are dark and bleak, while others are filled with hope and inspiration. Jesus is the ultimate in God's revelation, purpose, story, and love for all of us. And our surrendered response to Jesus is how He builds the church.
The church's mission is to continue the work of Christ. As ambassadors of God to a broken and busted world, we are called to participate with God. The church and its mission is the way we partner with God in life and purpose. Our passion to know God and follow Christ will display compassion for the world.
As your story intersects with God's, what new story are you writing together?
Joseph's secret for trusting God
Consider some of the literary tragedies of centuries pasta: Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, Shakespeare's Richard III, or Romeo and Juliet. What makes a tragedy a real tragedy? That question is easy to answer if you have ever talked to the main character in a movie or shouted aloud at the big screen: "Don't go in there!" "Get the flashlight, you idiot!" "Don't run into the woods!" You can yell those things because you know something they don't know. You have a different perspective. While you see things from a different angle, the characters within the tragedy remain in the dark. And isn't this the essence of all tragedies? It would be a miserable existence to witness evil and suffering without end or purpose. When we have access to good but choose never to trust and experience it, this is the real tragedy.
You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result - the survival of many people. Genesis 50:20
This is where Joseph turns the corner and truly escapes such a tragedy. For the first time since the beginning, we actually see someone other than God handle the knowledge of good and evil with God's perspective. This is what keeps the life of Joseph far from being a tragedy.
Can you sense the optimism in Joseph's voice? Can you hear the relief as he verbalizes with his mouth what he knows in his heart to be true about God? In the beginning, we read that God is the only One who can perfectly discern what is good for our lives. He is the only One who can take the evil actions and intentions of the Enemy and make them work for our good. This doesn't just speak of God's sovereignty; this speaks of His goodness. He can't help it. If God gets His hands on it, it's going to be good.
We are able to trust God more when we acknowledge His goodness in our lives regardless of our circumstances. We are able to trust God more when we view the world the way He views the world. The greatest tragedy in our lives isn't the evil or suffering we experience. The greatest tragedy is when we refuse to give it over to God.