Let us recall God’s revelation to Abram. Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the ancestor father of a multitude of nations. No longer will you be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham: ,for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God." (Genesis 17:1-8, NRSV)) Much later God says to Jacob, “Genesis 35:11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; {11 Hebrew El-Shaddai} be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." (Genesis 35:11-12)

Joseph is the most popular son of Jacob and his story is familiar to us. Actually, the story of Joseph is the story of Jacob’s family and this last in a series of patriarchal stories from the book of Genesis.

It is sometimes apparent to us that certain family behaviors are cyclical and appear from one generation to another. We observe that Jacob demonstrated his confidence and love of Joseph over all his other sons. Jacob gave all authority and trust to this younger and favorite son, Joseph. The rationale given to us for this preference is that Joseph was born to Jacob and his beloved Rachel who died giving birth to Jacob’s second and much loved son, Benjamin. However, the sons of Leah and those of Jacob’s other concubines were not favored.

You can certainly appreciate why these half brothers did not appreciate hearing about the dreams that Joseph shared with them. Jacob drove an even wider wedge of hatred among the brothers when he presented Joseph with a beautiful ceremonial robe made with appliqué ornaments of fine multicolored colored threads. Such a garment signified that Joseph was exempt from doing hard labor being over dressed for doing the ordinary work of shepherds. Perhaps, this is why he was at home with his father most of the time instead of out herding sheep with his brothers. Jacob kept certain things close to his chest and did not disclose what God had in store for his son in Joseph’s dreams. Jacob, like Mary the mother of Jesus, pondered all of these things in silence.

Perhaps one of our most contemporary associations to Joseph is in the play that dramatizes his life, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Jacob’s family was entangled with jealously, envy, and hatred. There was no “shalom” between the twelve brothers. In fact, they reached a boiling point that resembles the scene in the movie, “Network” where one of the characters, a news anchor, races to a window, shoves it open, sticks his head out and yells, “I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it any more!” The brothers had reached their breaking point. Moreover, one day when they were out herding sheep, they were presented with an opportunity to get rid of Joseph. Joseph is sent by his father to check on his brothers’ welfare. As Joseph approaches, they hatch a plot to kill him. They strip him of his robe and toss him in a cistern. Rueben, the oldest brother manages to persuade his brothers not to kill Joseph but to spare his life so that his blood is not on their hands. Judah, another brother, suggests on an economic opportunity by selling Joseph to the Ishmaelite traders, which they agree upon for 20 pieces of silver. Thus, Joseph is sold into slavery and taken to Egypt. Through these actions, the brothers find a way to preserve the life of Joseph. Thus, they “would not take his life or shed blood and later be guilt ridden.

We do not hear Joseph say a word. However, lying in the pit alone and frightened with no water or food, he must have wondered what would happen to him. He knew that his brothers hated him and there was no one to help him. He probably also thought that he would never see his father again.

Families that encounter divisions sometimes experience splintering and isolation that festers into severe rivalries. However, this is a story of the providence of God. In Joseph’s case, God’s providence was present and worked everything out behind the scenes for the good of not only the nation of Israel but for us in the future. God softened the hearts of the older half brothers who spoke out against doing physical harm to their brother, Joseph.

The evidence of God’s providence and power through love transformed these brothers to think differently. God used Reuben and Judah as partners in realizing the promise made to Jacob to be the father of nations, which they were not aware of at the time. We are called to allow ourselves to be used by God each time we commit to our mission to stand and speak out for injustice whenever the opportunity arises to the best of our ability.

God’s love is the power and driving force to oversee the plans of prosperity promised to and for all people. He loved us first and nothing shall separate us from the love of God, says the apostle, Paul. The new nation of Israel is about love and not hate. Jacob experienced an incredible moment of forgiveness during his reconciliation with his brother Esau. Thus, their relationship was healed.

God’s love is the power and driving force that God uses to oversee the plans of prosperity promised to for all people because loved us first and nothing shall separate us from the love of God, says Apostle Paul. The new nation of Israel is about love and not hate. Jacob experienced an incredible moment of forgiveness during his reconciliation with his brother Esau. Thus, their relationship was healed. Joseph and his brother’s relationship will also be restored through a similar lesson because the actions of the brothers will assist them for their own provisions later. They were unaware of this as they ate their lunch after throwing Joseph in the pit.

We are called and challenged to fall into the safety net that is cast out by God to follow the divine purpose of our lives. Sometimes, we may not see it but we know it is there to catch and guide us in the forms of prayer, other individuals, or circumstances. A safety net was there for Joseph to fulfill the promise of God’s covenant to Jacob such as the stranger who guided Joseph when he was looking for his brothers, the dreams that gave him a glimpse into his future, the brothers who helped to save his life and the caravan of the Ishmaelites. The caravan actually consisted of Joseph’s distant relatives because he is the next family link to the covenant of God. You may recall these are the descendents of Abraham’s and Hagar’s son, Ismaehel.

Can we recognize the safety net of love that God provides in grace to us? Listen to this. I used to watch the Red Skelton Show with my father…Mr. Shelton told this story. There was a fellow standing in knee-deep water after a flood in Louisiana. Some men in a rowboat passed by and said to him “Get in.” He responded, “Oh no, the Lord will take care of me.” Soon, while he is sitting on the porch, the water has inched up to his waist. A second rowboat comes by and they say the same thing to him, “Get in.” He says to them, “Oh, no, the Lord will take care of me.” By this time, he is on the roof and the water is up to his neck. A helicopter comes by and he says the same thing, “No, no, the Lord will take care of me.” Well, he drowned. He gets to heaven, meets the Lord and asks, “What happened?” The Lord says, “I don’t know what happened—I sent two rowboats and a helicopter for you!”

We are the benefactors of many saving acts of grace and safety nets of care that God places before us daily. May we always give thanks and gratitude to God for our creation, preservation, the blessings of this life, and above all, the immeasurable love of God that is free just for the asking.

Amen.