The story of Joseph and the deeply pessimistic psalm of lament set for this evening might not seem to have much to say to one another.
After all – we all know the story of Joseph AND his amazing technicolour dreamcoat
We are absolutely familiar with the grand finale “Any dream will do” and certain that families will be reunited, past wrongs forgiven and everyone will live happily ever after.
Simple,
This is a feel-good story – one that we enjoy sharing with children
REALLY?
If that’s your thinking may I suggest that you take off your 20/20 hindsight specs and throw yourself deep in the heart of the story...a tale of unexpected and extraordinary gifts (Joseph’s ability both to dream and to interpret the dreams of others)...of family jealousy played out in attempted murder and of the consequences of this shaping the future for a nation. Also the tale of God's covenant with Israel, but we'll come to that later
While it’s nothing like as long nor, actually, as convoluted, this is more Game of Thrones than Rice & Lloyd Webber
So – is this simply another one of those Old Testament stories that make us shuffle uncomfortably when they come round in the lectionary? One of those of which we are tempted to ask “IS this the word of the Lord”
Well – clearly I don’t believe so, or I wouldn’t have chosen to preach on it – but I’m willing to guess that while they were living through it Jacob and his sons did not see their experience as likely to have anything constructive to offer to future generations.
Later in the story, in Genesis 50, we will hear Joseph tying up all the many many loose ends of the experience as he says to his brothers
“20 As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today”
But that’s a long long way in the future
At the moment we’re deep in the mess.
Yes, Joseph is no longer in prison or facing death – indeed his fortunes have taken a dramatic upward course – but family relationships have been stretched to breaking point and beyond.
It has been a long time already since his days of carelessly interpreting dreams to make his brothers feel small...and they have carried the guilt of their hatred towards him through the intervening months and years
Through most of that period it has been Joseph who has bourne the cost
That’s where psalm 88 comes in.
His experience has been very much like those who go down to the pit – and for his griefstricken father, he has indeed been counted among the dead.
This whole journey has been one that has taken him deeper and deeper into the land of lament – and, unlike other psalms of lament, that take a sudden turn towards optimism half way through, psalm 88 is one of those that leaves us in the darkness… This is the “Close every door to me” moment that “Joseph” afficionados may remember – but for Joseph, light is on the way.
Though the psalmist remains trapped in darkness and despair, and though Joseph still bears the heavy burden of exile and estrangement, his fortunes have improved.
He cannot yet fully reclaim his name and his identity within the family – but power has unexpectedly arrived in his hands. Not only the power of Pharoah’s minister for food but also the power of one who has knowledge – who recognises his brothers but is not recognised by them...Who ought to be dead but is, incredibly, alive.
God is working his purpose out – but goodness, it does take a long long time.
In this morning’s gospel for the Eucharist we heard Jesus telling his disciples to keep on praying – keep on petitioning – keep on keeping on in their relationship with God no matter how discouraging the silence. After all, though we are creatures negotiating the long slow journey through time, God works from the perspective of eternity – where “all time is eternally present”. So when it seems that God has walked out on us...when we fear that our prayers are just words flung into the darkening silence...we need to remember to take a long view.
The story of Joseph gives us hope.
His struggle for survival is also a struggle for faith. He needs to be able to believe that God has not given up on him – nor, indeed, on his whole complex dysfunctional family.
There’s the Covenant promise made to his great grandfather Abraham – that his descendents should be as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand on the shore. If they are all going to starve to death, that promise would be null and void – the whole history of God’s chosen people obliterated just like that.
Surely, in sending his sons down to Egypt, Jacob is doing all that he can to honour his part of the bargain…
In the manipulation of the situation to help his brothers learn that actions have consequences, Joseph too is honouring the Covenant…
Perhaps he is already imagining the whole family settled in Egypt, safe from famine – and with relationships restored in a way that also honours his dreams of long ago, realised as his brothers bow before the unknown Egyptian, their victim delivered, their brother made good.
Faith and survival are both achieved by the end of the story – but here, as we wait in the long now, let’s pause to reflect on all those who are immersed in the lament stage of their own journey.
Yes God is at work in even the least promising situation – but knowing this is often absolutely NO help at all – and certainly well meaning Christian claims that everything happens for a reason may be enough to provoke fury when the “everything” is unmanageable and our resources are exhausted.
If that’s where you are now, then can I recommend the psalms.
Their searing honesty from a place of desolation makes them the best prayers for those times when prayer feels impossible and darkness inescapable…
Don’t be afraid to name that darkness
But take comfort, if you will, from the presence of God right where you are – even if that presence is completely intangible in the here and now.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is our God too – and though his ways are beyond our understanding his purposes are always, ALWAYS loving and always faithful to his children...
After all – we all know the story of Joseph AND his amazing technicolour dreamcoat
We are absolutely familiar with the grand finale “Any dream will do” and certain that families will be reunited, past wrongs forgiven and everyone will live happily ever after.
Simple,
This is a feel-good story – one that we enjoy sharing with children
REALLY?
If that’s your thinking may I suggest that you take off your 20/20 hindsight specs and throw yourself deep in the heart of the story...a tale of unexpected and extraordinary gifts (Joseph’s ability both to dream and to interpret the dreams of others)...of family jealousy played out in attempted murder and of the consequences of this shaping the future for a nation. Also the tale of God's covenant with Israel, but we'll come to that later
While it’s nothing like as long nor, actually, as convoluted, this is more Game of Thrones than Rice & Lloyd Webber
So – is this simply another one of those Old Testament stories that make us shuffle uncomfortably when they come round in the lectionary? One of those of which we are tempted to ask “IS this the word of the Lord”
Well – clearly I don’t believe so, or I wouldn’t have chosen to preach on it – but I’m willing to guess that while they were living through it Jacob and his sons did not see their experience as likely to have anything constructive to offer to future generations.
Later in the story, in Genesis 50, we will hear Joseph tying up all the many many loose ends of the experience as he says to his brothers
“20 As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today”
But that’s a long long way in the future
At the moment we’re deep in the mess.
Yes, Joseph is no longer in prison or facing death – indeed his fortunes have taken a dramatic upward course – but family relationships have been stretched to breaking point and beyond.
It has been a long time already since his days of carelessly interpreting dreams to make his brothers feel small...and they have carried the guilt of their hatred towards him through the intervening months and years
Through most of that period it has been Joseph who has bourne the cost
That’s where psalm 88 comes in.
His experience has been very much like those who go down to the pit – and for his griefstricken father, he has indeed been counted among the dead.
This whole journey has been one that has taken him deeper and deeper into the land of lament – and, unlike other psalms of lament, that take a sudden turn towards optimism half way through, psalm 88 is one of those that leaves us in the darkness… This is the “Close every door to me” moment that “Joseph” afficionados may remember – but for Joseph, light is on the way.
Though the psalmist remains trapped in darkness and despair, and though Joseph still bears the heavy burden of exile and estrangement, his fortunes have improved.
He cannot yet fully reclaim his name and his identity within the family – but power has unexpectedly arrived in his hands. Not only the power of Pharoah’s minister for food but also the power of one who has knowledge – who recognises his brothers but is not recognised by them...Who ought to be dead but is, incredibly, alive.
God is working his purpose out – but goodness, it does take a long long time.
In this morning’s gospel for the Eucharist we heard Jesus telling his disciples to keep on praying – keep on petitioning – keep on keeping on in their relationship with God no matter how discouraging the silence. After all, though we are creatures negotiating the long slow journey through time, God works from the perspective of eternity – where “all time is eternally present”. So when it seems that God has walked out on us...when we fear that our prayers are just words flung into the darkening silence...we need to remember to take a long view.
The story of Joseph gives us hope.
His struggle for survival is also a struggle for faith. He needs to be able to believe that God has not given up on him – nor, indeed, on his whole complex dysfunctional family.
There’s the Covenant promise made to his great grandfather Abraham – that his descendents should be as numerous as the stars in the sky or the sand on the shore. If they are all going to starve to death, that promise would be null and void – the whole history of God’s chosen people obliterated just like that.
Surely, in sending his sons down to Egypt, Jacob is doing all that he can to honour his part of the bargain…
In the manipulation of the situation to help his brothers learn that actions have consequences, Joseph too is honouring the Covenant…
Perhaps he is already imagining the whole family settled in Egypt, safe from famine – and with relationships restored in a way that also honours his dreams of long ago, realised as his brothers bow before the unknown Egyptian, their victim delivered, their brother made good.
Faith and survival are both achieved by the end of the story – but here, as we wait in the long now, let’s pause to reflect on all those who are immersed in the lament stage of their own journey.
Yes God is at work in even the least promising situation – but knowing this is often absolutely NO help at all – and certainly well meaning Christian claims that everything happens for a reason may be enough to provoke fury when the “everything” is unmanageable and our resources are exhausted.
If that’s where you are now, then can I recommend the psalms.
Their searing honesty from a place of desolation makes them the best prayers for those times when prayer feels impossible and darkness inescapable…
Don’t be afraid to name that darkness
But take comfort, if you will, from the presence of God right where you are – even if that presence is completely intangible in the here and now.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is our God too – and though his ways are beyond our understanding his purposes are always, ALWAYS loving and always faithful to his children...