Moses, the writer of the book of Genesis, leaves something out of chapter 37. As we read it, it may not be obvious to us as modern-day Christians, but for a Jewish reader, it would have been really apparent what was missing from this chapter. God appears to be missing – there’s no mention of him. Not one time. God seems absent from what is going on in Joseph’s life when he is betrayed and sold into slavery. But in Genesis 39:2, we read, “The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.” This phrase, “The Lord was with Joseph”, ends up becoming a refrain for his life.
God’s silence during these moments in Joseph’s life should not be confused for absence. Just because it's not obvious what God’s doing, how he's working, or what path he has you on doesn't mean God doesn't have a master plan that he is working throughout your experiences and detours. When it comes to detours when we think through God's will, they often come unexpectedly and without warning. It's the very nature of them. You're driving along, things are going fine, and then suddenly you find yourself a detour that you didn’t intend to take. Most of us could tell stories in our life like that, where things seem to all be going accordingly to our plan until something unexpected takes you in a completely different direction than you anticipated. God may seem removed during these detours but he is always present and working his will through even the most difficult of detours.
Reflection/Discussion Question: Describe a detour in life where you felt like God was absent and how you interpreted his silence.
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