“现在，不要因为把我卖到这里自忧自恨。这是神差我在你们以先来，为要保全生命。” – 创 45:5
在阿巴拉契亚山道经过了一个下午疲惫的跋涉后，我在潺潺的小溪边停下来休息，感到精疲力尽。我宛如一直在坐“过山车”，这是弗吉尼亚州山区的一段路，有十段陡峭的上坡和下坡路。
“过山车”的陡峭起伏让我想起了约瑟的经历。年轻时，约瑟聪明活泼，是他父亲众子中的宠儿。然而，这让他的兄弟们嫉妒得发疯。有一天，他的哥哥们开始实施报复，他们合谋把约瑟卖到埃及做奴隶。在那里，我们看到他的起起落落，曾经获得了荣誉，但也因为被指控他没有犯的罪行被误投入监狱。但神与约瑟同在，最终神使他成为埃及的治理者，权位仅次于法老。
后来，约瑟的哥哥们到埃及去籴粮，因为迦南有大饥荒，他们就落在约瑟手里，故此害怕他向他们报复。但约瑟已经学会了倚靠神。他看见神在他生命起起伏伏的历程中看顾他，也看见神要藉着他拯救多人。
当我们在生活中正经历起起落落时，我们仍拥有一个安慰，就是在任何环境下，神都与我们同在，熬炼我们并救赎我们，去行祂预备叫我们所行的善（弗2:10）。
祷告
主耶稣，求你帮助我们在你信实的恩手中得安慰，信靠你在我们生命中的旨意和计划。阿们。
创世记 45:1-11
1约瑟在左右站着的人面前情不自禁，吩咐一声说：“人都要离开我出去！”约瑟和弟兄相认的时候，并没有一人站在他面前。
2他就放声大哭，埃及人和法老家中的人都听见了。
3约瑟对他弟兄们说：“我是约瑟！我的父亲还在吗？”他弟兄不能回答，因为在他面前都惊惶。
4约瑟又对他弟兄们说：“请你们近前来。”他们就近前来。他说：“我是你们的兄弟约瑟，就是你们所卖到埃及的。
5现在，不要因为把我卖到这里自忧自恨，这是神差我在你们以先来，为要保全生命。
6现在这地的饥荒已经二年了，还有五年不能耕种，不能收成。
7神差我在你们以先来，为要给你们存留余种在世上，又要大施拯救，保全你们的生命。
8这样看来，差我到这里来的不是你们，乃是神。他又使我如法老的父，做他全家的主，并埃及全地的宰相。
9你们要赶紧上到我父亲那里，对他说：‘你儿子约瑟这样说：“神使我做全埃及的主，请你下到我这里来，不要耽延。
10你和你的儿子、孙子，连牛群、羊群，并一切所有的，都可以住在歌珊地与我相近，
11我要在那里奉养你。因为还有五年的饥荒，免得你和你的眷属，并一切所有的，都败落了。”’
The “Roller Coaster”
“Do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.” – Genesis 45:5
After a grueling afternoon on the Appalachian Trail, I stopped to rest, exhausted, by a gurgling stream. I’d been hiking the “Roller Coaster,” a section of trail with ten steep ascents and descents in the mountains of Virginia.
The steep rises and plunges of the “Roller Coaster” reminded me of the experience of Joseph. As a young man, Joseph was bright and full of life, the favorite of his father. That drove his brothers crazy with jealousy and envy, however. And one day those brothers took revenge, selling Joseph into slavery in Egypt. There we see him rise and fall, gaining honor but also getting thrown into prison for a wrong he did not commit. But God was with Joseph, and eventually God raised him to become a ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh the king.
Later, when his brothers came to Egypt to buy food because there was a great famine, they found themselves in the hands of Joseph and were afraid he would take revenge on them. But Joseph had learned about depending on God. He saw God’s watchful care in all the ups and downs of his life, and he saw how God had planned to save many lives through him.
As we experience ups and downs in life, we can take comfort that in all circumstances God is with us, redeeming and purifying us for work that he has planned for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
Prayer
Lord Jesus, help us to take comfort in your sure and steady hand and to trust in your purposes and plans for our lives. Amen.
