I have read Genesis several times, so many of the people and the places were familiar. Abraham was one of my favorites and continues to hold that spot.
A few things bothered me and some still perplex me (Lot's wife being turned into a pillar of salt and Jacob wresting with an angel?). I was thinking through from Chapter 1 verse 1 to chapter 50 verse 26. What did God teach me in this time?
In Chapter 1, we read of the creation of the world. It is remarkable. A miracle. Awesome really, like seriously, can you imagine watching those days unfold? I recently had a great conversation with a friend. We were talking about some serious things. I asked her why we were created. (Spoiler alert: I don't know...) As I read through chapter one I noticed that almost every day after God created something these words are written: And God saw that is was good.
In fact Genesis 1:31 says that after God was done, He saw all that He had made, "...and behold, it was very good." (I want to start using that word again - behold - such anticipation!)
So can we deduce that God made us, because it was good? We know He is good, it's who He is (as my pal Chris Tomlin says). This is what He does, He does good. Now if you've read through Genesis before, you know some pretty bad things happen. People prove to be, well...not good. There are liars, deceivers, murderers, adulterers, thieves. In fact at one point, God wipes out the whole earth save a remnant in Noah and his family.
Despite our "badness", it doesn't change God's goodness. Yes, He deals with sin, but it is because He is good. Genesis opened with God's goodness and we see it again at the close of Genesis. Joseph is one of 12 brothers and the least liked. There may be a few reasons why, but they don't justify his brothers selling him as a slave and telling their father he is dead. Most of you know this story, this true story. God was with Joseph for the 20 years that he was away from his family. He was a slave, he was put in prison, he was raised in a foreign land away from his family. And yet when he is divinely reunited with his brothers, he says:
"And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." Genesis 50:20
Though Joseph was betrayed by his bothers and lived in some difficult circumstances, he was able to declare that God had meant all of this for good. Do you see that word, "meant"? The verse doesn't say God took the mess Joseph's brothers made and turned it into good. It says God "meant it for good". That word "meant" literally means "to weave" in the original language. God has been weaving His story together for thousands of years, and it is a good story.
If you are struggling, or if you need a morsel of truth today, God is good. Cling to this truth. What is happening in your life is part of a grander plan, a beautiful story that God is weaving together. Even if you can't see goodness right now, it is there, because God is here. He is our good, good Father. And He is perfect in all of His ways to us.
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