“But while he was still a long way off, his father was filled with compassion for him, he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20b NIV)
We are still preaching Joseph on Sunday mornings and when I saw this familiar Prodigal Son text in my daily reading, I couldn’t help but connect the dots. Let’s lay these two stories bedside one another: the prodigal and the dreamer.
“But they saw him in the distance and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.”
(Genesis 37:18 NIV)
There’s a stark difference between God’s agenda for us and the enemy’s agenda for us. Remember, the prodigal’s father is a description of Father God. He’s the One pacing the proverbial front porch, waiting for any sign on the horizon of wayward kids coming home. He runs out to meet us with forgiveness and restoration in hand: ready and willing to clothe us in righteousness and receive us again as beloved members of his household.
How different from the account of Joseph and his brothers! The brothers see their young sibling as far more than an annoyance, but a threat to their position and power. His very form on the horizon stirred up hostility to the point of murderous plots! The brothers weren’t acting independently: they were cooperating with the will and whim of the enemy. We recognize Satan by his work: he is endlessly seeking to steal, kill and destroy. The brothers had been subject to Satan’s influence before. They had brutally avenged their sister’s stolen virtue at Shechem, leaving an entire community of carnage in their wake. Once we’ve caved to our flesh and the enemy’s influence, it’s quite easy to cave again and again.
Note the difference between God’s agenda and the downstairs agenda: it is quite literally the difference between life and death. Realize, there are continually two entities endlessly on the lookout for us. God is seeking to restore us, and the enemy is seeking to destroy us. Who are we moving toward? Who are we cooperating with?
Be encouraged, though. If our heart is right, God can make our situation right, as well. It seems that Satan wielded the forces of hell against Joseph: murder plots, brotherly betrayal, human trafficking, sexual harassment, false accusation, wrongful imprisonment, and a meteoric rise to power. But amidst the shelling of hell; Joseph remained loyal to God alone. And as a result of that fidelity, God used Joseph mightily.
The Father on the front porch is far more powerful than the menacing enemy plotting to destroy us. God has an uncanny ability to repurpose the devil’s handiwork to serve Kingdom purposes. I write this truth out often because I am reminding myself, too. We can trust Him.
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20 NIV)
O God, today we see You on the front porch, searching the horizon for signs of us. What a good Father You are. We are also aware of the enemy in the shadows, seeking whom he may devour. Today we intentionally turn our hearts toward You, toward forgiveness and restoration, toward life. We run in Your direction and trust Your heart toward life. We run in Your direction and trust Your heart toward us over the enemy’s hatred of us. Have Your way in our story, Lord. We submit to You, Good Father. Amen.