Stepping Stones...

Everyone has a future. We all get that. What we struggle with is how we are to get from here to there. If we were able to write the script for our lives, we would work out perfectly formed steps all lined up in sequential order. But God seems to really enjoy using half measures, wrong directions and random chaos to get us into our futures. We see it again in Joseph’s life…
“By that time the Midianite traders were passing by. His brothers pulled Joseph out of the cistern and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites who took Joseph with them down to Egypt.” ~Gen.37:28
Joseph had a charmed life. He was the favorite son, had the cushy job and he had big dreams. His brothers hated him for it. To us this could spell only trouble. But to God, whose plans called for Joseph to end up in Egypt, this jealously was an opportunity. Sure enough, one day that jealously spilled over into evil. The brothers saw Joseph coming into the field, and in a moment chaos was afoot. They quickly hatched a plan to get rid of him, ripped off his coat and soaked it in blood to convince their dad of an animal attack, they threw Joseph into a well, they saw traders on their way to Egypt, on the spot they decided to sell him, and they walked away feeling free of their great irritation. It all looks so random, so chaotic, so vile, so out-of-control, doesn’t it. But in all of that jealously, evil action and reaction, God was at work lining up some more of His famous STEPPING STONES. ~verlon