50:15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him." 50:16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying, 50:17 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you." ' Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 50:18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants." 50:19 Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 50:20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 50:21 "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. 50:22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. 50:23 Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph's knees. 50:24 And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." 50:25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." 50:26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. (New King James Version)

"God" in deism

Apostles' Creed confesses that God is Creator, the Maker of the world. Moreover, it confesses that God is the person who has a relationship with the world. Apostles' Creed confesses Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Holy Spirit as well as God, the Father. The Creed means that God accomplished the salvation for us through the Son, Jesus Christ and now working among us through the Holy Spirit.

Do you know "deism?" In Japanese we say it "Ri-shin-ron." Put the word God, "Shin" into the middle of the word, theory, "Ri-ron." "Ri-Shin-Ron" will come up. This theory, deism treats God as one of the theory. Deism still believes God who is Creator. We do not exist by ourselves. We exist supported by someone who is exit by himself. This someone is God. But, "God" of deism has no feelings, and personal characters. Therefore God does not have mercy on the world, or love human. God never want to touch this world. Just like the spring powered alarm clock, once the spring has be winded, it would tell a time by ringing the bell, God had input everything into the world when He made it. The world is just working according the mechanism that God has put into the world at the very beginning time. This theory came from the philosophy of Aristotle who defined God as "the one who move everything, but is not moved by anything." Deism accept God as only "The First Cause" like Aristotle. God is not more than the cause. God of deism is only a theory.

Therefore miracles never take place according deism. The law of nature was fixed at the creation time. Even God cannot change the law. According deism, the Bible is not the word of God. Because God never speak to human. It is impossible that God visits the world as a man. However, it was the fact that God interrupt the world with the judgment by water. The incident happened in the age of Noah. God gave punishment to Egypt with the ten plagues and gave relief to Israel through the divided the water. God spoke to Abraham, Moses, and the prophets. He gave us the Bible, the Word of God. God became a man and walked on the earth. He is Jesus Christ. He had mercy on the people. He opened the eyes of blinds, cleaned leprosy, and gave life to the dead. If God is not taking care of the world after the creation, does our worship or prayer have the meaning? Our praise or prayer never reach God who is far from us. But, God is not such one. We know how much God loves the world. The history is full of the evidences of God's love. We also can testify His works in our life.

God of Providence

Apostles' Creed confess God who are working among us; God of providence. The word, "providence" came from two words. One is Latin, "pro". It means "previously". Second is "videre", that means "to see". The word, "providence" means that God is interested in and loves us, provide for our needs, and guide our life. "Providence" is a noun. "Provide" is a verb. We can find the meaning of providence in Genesis 22:14. In Hebrew it says "Adonai irue." It means "The Lord will provide." This saying shows that He is God who provides for our needs.

Any parents make some preappearance for the coming babies. Most of them buy cribs and baby clothes; some purchased even new homes for babies. Today, doctor can tell us boy or girl, then it may be much easier to prepare for babies. I have heard that someone had a conviction that the baby would be a girl, and bought clothes only for girl. But a boy was born. She had to put the boy pin colored clothes. Someone had confidence that the baby would be a boy, and prepared the the names only for boy. But a girl was born. He had no idea for girl's name. He just named his baby without enough consideration. We may not able to enough preparation for our children. However we try to do best effort for our children. Now, the cost for college is getting expensive. Parents save money to cover the college cost for their children while they are still young. Statistics say that half of parents save money for their children's education. If we do prepare for our children, God, the Father prepares more for His children. Our preparation is not perfect, but his is perfect.

Jesus mentioned God's perfect providence. "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:6-8) "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:9-11)

Our God is not "God" of deism. He is the One who leads our life with the Father's love; He is God almighty who provide necessary things for our needs. He is God of providence.

Trusting in God of Providence

Joseph is a person who trusted in God of providence. Joseph was born the eleventh son of Jacob who had twelve sons. Joseph was loved by his father more than any other brothers. Eventually Joseph became a target of brothers' jealousy and hate. Brothers' hate reached to the peak when they heard the story of Joseph's dream. Because Joseph dreamed dreams that brothers would fall on Joseph's knees.

The brothers got a perfect chance to kill Joseph. They threw into a hole to kill him. But they changed their mind when they saw a caravan. They would not get any cents by killing Joseph. They decided to sell him as a slave to the caravan, and to share the money among them. Discussion for doing evil reached the consensus so quickly. Joseph was sold the caravan going to Egypt. At that time a slave could not survive for long because they were dealt with their masters. However Joseph became a deacon of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. The Bible says, "The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand." (Genesis 39:2-3) The Lord is God of providence. He was with Joseph and guided him.

However, the wife of Potiphar tempted him to be in bed with her. Accepting it or refusing it, both would bring ruin to him. Joseph was falsely charged by Mrs. Potiphar, and was imprisoned. He has been successful. Was his success over at this point? No. God's presence never dismissed. "But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison." (Genesis 39:21) Joseph went up to the rank next to Pharaoh from the bottom of jail.

After seven years, a sever famine attacked all over the countries. But Egypt was saved from the famine by the wisdom of Joseph. People came to Egypt for asking food, and they saw Joseph's glory. Meanwhile, the brothers of Joseph came to Egypt and felt on Joseph's knees as the dream. They did not know the ruler was Joseph. Joseph revealed himself to the brothers, and invited all of Jacob's family to Egypt.

Today's portion is the story after Jacob died. The brothers thought that Joseph would revenge on them for their doing evil, though Joseph had kept himself from revenge while their father was alive. They supplicated Joseph to save their lives. And Joseph answered saying, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." (Genesis 50:20)

What a touching story! But the story of Joseph is not a moral story that is teaching how to overcome a desire to revenge. It is not a success story in that his patient and wisdom are shown as examples for us. The theme of the story is in his words, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." (Genesis 50:20) The story teaches us that God turns evil to good for the believers in the world that evil seems to rule. The main character of the story is not Joseph but God; God of providence.

Do you know God as God of providence? If so, why don't we walk trusting God of providence through our life?

Prayer

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Rome 8:28) Our God, we thank you because you are God of providence. You always look upon us and know our needs and prepare necessary things for us. Therefore we are not disappointed. We can pray to you and wait for you. Teach us that your love goes around the world and our life, even though they are messed up with troubles and difficulties. Through the every step of this week, train us to walk trusting in you who guides with perfect providence. We pray in the name of Christ, our Lord.