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I’m reading a book called “Everything happens for a reason and other lies I’ve loved”. The title alone is provocative enough but the rest of the book challenges the notion that God is this great cosmic conductor who orchestrates everything that happens both good and bad. The author (seminary professor Kate Bowser) said that she grew up believing in the idea that “everything happens for a reason” but in real life she found it hard to reconcile when she was diagnosed with cancer. She wondered how to feel about it in light of her diagnosis and seems to be arguing on behalf of all those who have been diagnosed similarly, lost loved ones, jobs, health, not to mention things like earthquakes, tsunami’s, hurricanes and the like. While I agree with the idea that it’s difficult to ascribe everything that happens (good and bad) to God, what then to make of the closing words of the story of Joseph; “What you meant for evil God meant for good” (Gen 50:20). These are the words Joseph spoke to his brothers after he’d been thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, framed for rape, tossed into prison, forgotten in prison and then finally rescued from that prison and elevated to the second highest position in all of Egypt. When he encountered those same brothers, the ones who had started the whole ordeal, it was then that he told them “what you meant for evil God meant for good.”
This statement creates some theological problems in that it seems to be suggesting that God orchestrated the entire ordeal of Joseph’s life. Like Kate Bowser in her book, I have a hard time ascribing everything to God as though he pushes all the buttons for virtually all the things that happen in our lives. And yet what I find compelling is the way that Joseph looked for hope in the midst of challenging and tragic circumstances. It’s the way he worked to find the good out of what he had experienced as evil. He trusted that God had a masterpiece in mind despite the actions of his brothers, and that’s something I’d like to think is not a lie. I believe that God’s intent for us all is good, despite the evil and suffering that we encounter, and this I think, is what Joseph was holding onto throughout his life.
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas I can’t think of a more apt phrase to summarize the birth of Christ. “What you meant for evil God meant for good.” The birth of Jesus set off a chain reaction of not only joy but also suffering. Christ’s birth gave way to a life where he was falsely arrested, accused, beaten and ultimately crucified on a cross. And yet when we hear about his birth words like peace, hope and joy are used to speak of what his birth would mean to the world. The birth of Christ reminds us that God intends good for us even when the world gives us the opposite. Things doesn’t always work out that way we’d like and yet the message of Christmas is one that reminds us of the goodness that God wants and desires for us all.
As you celebrate the birth of Christ this year may you be reminded of God’s good intent for your life and may you truly experience a bit of peace, hope and joy.
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