When Joseph faced his brothers twenty years after they had betrayed him, he made an incredible proclamation. “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 NASB).
God is a Master Builder. This is the meaning behind Joseph’s words “God meant it for good in order to bring about . . .” The Hebrew word translated here as bring about is a construction term.8 It describes a task or building project akin to the one I drive through every morning. The state of Texas is rebuilding a highway overpass near my house. Three lanes have been reduced to one, transforming a morning commute into a daily stew. The interstate project, like human history, has been in development since before time began. Cranes hover overhead daily. Workers hold signs and shovels, and several thousand of us grumble. Well, at least I do. How long is this going to last?
My next-door neighbors have a different attitude toward the project. The husband and wife are highway engineers, consultants to the department of transportation. They endure the same traffic jams and detours as the rest of us but do so with a better attitude. Why? They know how these projects develop. “It will take time,” they respond to my grumbles, “but it will get finished. It’s doable.” They’ve seen the plans.
God is the Master Builder. He redeemed the story of Joseph. But we wonder if he will redeem our story as well?
Yes! Deliverance is to the Bible what jazz music is to Mardi Gras: bold, brassy, and everywhere. It won’t be painless. It may not be quick. But God will use your mess for good.
IT WON’T BE PAINLESS. IT MAY NOT BE QUICK. BUT GOD WILL USE YOUR MESS FOR GOOD.
You are a version of Joseph in your generation. You carry something of God within you, something noble and holy, something the world needs—wisdom, kindness, mercy, skill. That is what God is building in you. But remember, “It will take time.” Whether it’s highways or hearts, that’s just how these projects develop.