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When people hurt you, do you feel mad, sad, afraid, or disappointed? Do you blame yourself or others? Do you blame God? Do you look for the good things in the situation? Do you believe that God can make good things come out of a bad situation?
Joseph's brothers tried to get rid of him. They sent him to Egypt as a slave. But God was with Joseph. God saved many people through Joseph.
Now, use your imagination, as we journey back through time to look at the Life Connection Story "Joseph Part 2."
(Story adapted from Genesis 37; 39-45; 50:20)
My name is Joseph. I am excited to share with you how God worked in my life.
I had ten older brothers, one older sister, and one younger brother. My father, Jacob, loved me more than he loved my brothers and sister. My brothers hated me for being my father's favorite son. I had dreams that my family would bow down to me. I told my brothers about the dreams, and they hated me more than ever. They sold me to some traders traveling to Egypt. My father mourned for months. My brothers tried to comfort him, but they would not tell him the truth.
In Egypt, a man named Potiphar bought me as his slave. God was with me and gave me success in everything I did. Potiphar put me in charge of his house and trusted me with everything he had. However, Potiphar's wife wanted me to lie down with her. I told her I would not do that. So she accused me of mistreating her. Potiphar believed her. He put me into prison.
God was with me and showed kindness to me while I was in prison. The prison warden put me in charge of the prisoners. God gave me success in everything I did. I met two of the king's servants in prison. They had dreams with special meanings. God showed me the meanings of the dreams, and I told the king's servants what the dreams meant.
Two years later, the king had two dreams that troubled him. One of the king's servants (who had been in prison with me) told the king about me. The king brought me out of the prison. God showed me the meanings of the dreams, and I told the king what the dreams meant. The king's dreams meant that God would bring seven years of plenty and seven years of hunger. I suggested that the king put someone in charge of Egypt to gather and store food during the seven years of plenty. The king chose me!
For seven years, I gathered and stored food in the cities of Egypt. I couldn't measure it-there was so much! Then the seven years of hunger came. The hunger spread to other lands. My father, Jacob, told ten of my brothers to go to Egypt to buy grain. When they arrived, they bowed down before me-just like in my dreams long ago! They didn't recognize me! I acted as if I didn't know them, either. They told me about their family (my family). Then I called them spies and put them in prison. After three days, I told them to leave one brother in Egypt and not to come back without the youngest brother, Benjamin. I wanted to see whether their heart attitudes had changed. I also wanted to see Benjamin.
My servants filled my brothers' bags with grain and secretly included their money. When my brothers found the money, they were afraid. They wondered what God had done to them. Have you ever blamed God for something that happened to you?
Later, my father asked my brothers to go back to Egypt to get more food. Jacob agreed to send Benjamin with them. Jacob knew he might not see any of his sons again, but he trusted God with this. My brothers brought gifts and twice as much money as before. They admitted to finding the money in their sacks the first time, and they tried to give it back.
I cried when I saw Benjamin. Then we ate together.
I sent them home with grain and all their money. I also asked my servant to put my silver cup into Benjamin's sack and then accuse my brothers of stealing it. I wanted to see if their heart attitudes had changed. My brothers agreed that the one who had the cup would become my slave. Benjamin had the cup. My brothers showed their sadness by tearing their clothes.
They returned to my house and said that their father would die if Benjamin didn't return. They couldn't go home without him. My brothers begged to stay as slaves in Benjamin's place. At that point, I knew that my brothers' heart attitudes had changed. I told them that I was Joseph. Then I cried so loudly that everyone in the palace heard me. I told them that God had sent me here ahead of them to save people's lives. What they meant for evil against me, God meant for good.
Let's thank God for all He has done and for His great love for us. Pray these words of praise to Him:
God, thank You that You are with me. You can give me success in everything I do. You show kindness to me. I can't do anything on my own, but You can help many people through me. Thank You that You can make good things happen when others try to hurt me.
Use Genesis 37; 39-45; 50:20 and the Life Connection Story. They will help you complete your Life Connection Response.
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