God Promises to Stand with Us in Dark Places Matthew 5:11-12 Genesis 39:1-23 INTRODUCTION Last week we began talking about God s everlasting promises with humanity. We call the deep and eternal promises a covenant. A covenant is like a binding contract that God promises to never break. There are several covenants that God makes throughout the Bible. And there are additional promises that we receive as we explore and understand God s character. One thing that God promises to do is stand with us in dark and difficult situations. People often ask the question, why is there so much suffering in the world? While this question has no easy answers, we can make some helpful observations as we look at the Bible. As we explore the Biblical story, we see that none of the heroes of the Bible were free from suffering. Even God s own son experienced excruciating suffering. Today s story may not explain much in helping us to understand why humans suffer, but this story reveals something very important in how to deal with the suffering as we encounter it. DESTINED FOR GREATNESS Today s story is the story of Joseph. Joseph was Number Eleven of twelve brothers. His father was the famous Jacob/Israel who (among other things, wrestled with God). In spite of the fact that birth order was very, very important in this culture (the oldest son got all the good stuff) in Joseph s family this was not the case. Joseph may not have had claim to all his father s land or other wealth, but Joseph had his father s devotion. Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. (Genesis 37:3) (You might say it was an Amazing, Technicolor Dream Coat). Not only did Joseph have an awesome coat, but God gave Joseph dreams that seemed to clearly indicate Joseph was destined for greatness. His dreams were fairly clear that one day all of Joseph s brothers would bow down to him. 1 of 5
Now, if you are Joseph, life is looking pretty good. He was the equivalent of the glorious High School quarterback and Prom King. He had life in hand, and at the age of seventeen, life looked really good. SOLD TO BE A SLAVE But, it wasn t all parades and parties for Joseph. His life took an unexpected and very difficult turn. His brothers were seething with jealousy over his dreams, and his coat, and his undeserved attention from their father. Finally things came to a breaking point, and the brothers decided to kill Joseph. At the last minute, they relented and sold him to slave traders heading to Egypt. When he arrived in Egypt, Joseph was bought by Potiphar, and Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh s officials, the captain of the guard. For a short time, it seems like a good situation. Joseph prospered, and gives God credit for his success. He was put in charge of the household, and Potiphar completely trusted him. But then, there was trouble. Potiphar s wife noticed that Joseph was well built and handsome (Genesis 39:6). She deeply desired to distract him from his work. She tried every seduction technique that she could, but Joseph firmly refused. Finally, she frames him and claims that he is a scoundrel who tried to take advantage of her. Potiphar is outraged and sends Joseph to prison. Feels a bit like a soap opera doesn t it? But, here s the thing about a story like that. It might be fun to read about all of this drama, but it would have been horrible to live through. Can you imagine how devastating it would be to be betrayed and tossed away by your brothers? Can you imagine the loneliness of being forced to work in a land so completely different and so far from home? Can you imagine the pain of being accused and convicted of a crime that you did not commit? Joseph s story, that started out so promising, ends up in disaster. Joseph knows about dark places and difficult situations. 2 of 5
OUR DARK PLACES Think for a moment about your dark places. Where in life have you felt lonely, betrayed, falsely accused? When have you felt like every time things start to look hopeful and positive, something disastrous happens, and you feel like there is no hope? In college, I had a friend who used to say, I feel like I m living in a Lifetime Movie. If you don t have cable, or have never watched Lifetime, let us simply say that those made-for-tv movies were full of drama and disaster. They usually ended with something hopeful and uplifting, but the middle was a terrible set of impossible circumstances. And, there are so many times in life when we feel like we are living in one of those hopeless Lifetime Movies. There is a terrible lie that we sometimes catch ourselves believing which is that if you are a good person, and particularly if you are a good Christian that somehow God will reward you with treats and happiness. If you eat your spiritual lima beans, God will give you yummy dessert. This is bad theology. The Bible never promises this kind of reward system. Instead, Jesus tells us several times over, that faithfulness will involve suffering. Matthew 5:11-12 says, Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. Good theology reminds us that suffering is a part of the faithful Christian life. If you feel like you are suffering, it may not because you did anything wrong, but because you are doing something right. LIGHT IN THE DARK So, how do we survive the suffering? At least three times in this passage we learn that God was with Joseph. Now it may seem like a small thing to know that God is with someone. After all we tell our children that all the time, God is with you. But, this is a remarkable thing. If you are truly with a friend, you don t abandon them at their time of need you stand together in the tough times. You may not solve everything, but you stick it out and remain a friend in the dark and difficult places. 3 of 5
God was with Joseph in the betrayal. God was with Joseph in his loneliness. God was with Joseph in the false accusations. God never left Joseph. Much later in his life, Joseph experiences all of the great wealth, power, and prosperity that he was promised as a teen. Looking back on the whole experience he tells his brothers, you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20) As he looks back over his life, Joseph can see how the suffering shaped him into the person he was meant to be. He needed those times of difficulty to test his strength and character, and he drew closer to God in these times. Joseph knew that God was with him, and was able later to tell others about how God worked through impossible circumstances to bring a better life. WE NEED THE DARK TIMES Throughout history, several Christian theologians have noted that suffering is a natural part of the faithful life. St. John of the Cross wrote much about what he called, the Dark Night of the Soul. Other pillars of the faith have experienced such times of doubt, despair, and struggle. They describe feeling distant from God. They feel as though their prayers were not heard, and the Bible no longer inspires. These ancient theologians, as well as Joseph teach us something important about these dark places in our souls. First, you are not sinful if you experience darkness, doubt, disappointment, or suffering. God does not put these dreadful things in your life as a punishment. Many, many faithful Christians have also experienced suffering and darkness. The second thing we learn is that such times do not last forever. There was an end to Joseph s darkness. His prison term was not a life sentence. There is a dawn after the dark night of the soul. The suffering and darkness is not permanent. The third, and perhaps, most important thing we learn is that the darkness strengthens us and draws us closer to God. We need suffering, because it actually helps us to walk with God and strengthen our relationship with 4 of 5
God. Suffering helps us to become the people that we were meant to become. HOPE IN THE DARKNESS In the meantime, while we are waiting for strength, or blessing, or evidence of God, let us remember that God has promised to stand with us in the darkness. Even if we cannot see or feel God, we trust and know that God is there. Just as God eventually helped Abraham to see the promises of the covenant, just as God helped Joseph out of prison and into royalty, just as God was with the prophets who suffered, and just as God did not allow Jesus death on the cross to be the end of the story, God also does not allow us to stay in the darkness forever. There is hope at the end of the tunnel. We actually already know the end of the story, it is an eternity in heaven: the place with no more tears and no more pain and full of God s eternal love. Hold on to this vision of the end of the story. Let it give you strength and hope. And remember, that even if you cannot now see or feel God at work, God truly does stand with us in the dark and difficult places of life. Amen. 5 of 5