God's Omniscience

Pause:

Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down and focus on Jesus.

Pray and ask him to open your eyes to see as you read the scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.

Read:

Gen. 50:20-21: “‘You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result — the survival of many people. Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.’ And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.”

Going Deeper:

The movie ‘Just Mercy’ tells the true story of a young attorney named Bryan Stevenson and his post-conviction work for Walter D. McMillian, who was falsely accused and convicted in the murder of a young woman in Alabama. Stevenson was a Harvard Law trained lawyer who passed on safer, more lucrative career opportunities to move to Alabama and work with the poor, incarcerated, and condemned to seek justice for them.

I was moved by Stevenson’s faith in Jesus at work as he leveraged his extensive legal training and knowledge to love someone labeled by the system as a criminal worthy of death. He saw past the labels and instead focused on McMillian’s humanity and treated him with dignity. Eventually, the courts overturned McMillian’s conviction though it wasn’t without Stevenson facing significant opposition, threats, and further injustices along the way.

Among other things, Stevenson’s work shows that how someone uses their knowledge matters. We know from life experience that knowledge can be used to gain or keep power. I know I’m personally tempted sometimes to hide behind knowledge or hold it over people. Yet in situations like Stevenson’s defense of Walter McMillian we can see that when knowledge is used for love’s sake it can lead to great good and even rescue people from death itself.

In the Bible, we discover a God who is omniscient, or all-knowing. He uses this knowledge to do good, love, bless, protect, and save His people, even in the moments when it feels like He’s doing none of those things. This is good news and I think it’s especially good news for us as we suffer in a variety of ways through this season.

In Genesis 37, Joseph received a dream from the Lord that he would reign and his brothers would bow down to him. He shared this dream with them and instead of entering into blessing Joseph was soon betrayed by his resentful brothers and sold into slavery. Despite suffering through this calloused abuse Joseph flourished in his work and rose to a position of influence until he was falsely accused and thrown in prison, even though he’d done nothing wrong. Yet, God was with Joseph and was kind to him and once again he rose to a position of prominence though this time in prison. In time, God gave Pharaoh dreams that famine was coming and opened a window of time to prepare. Joseph interpreted those dreams for Pharaoh accurately and afterwards Joseph was held in such high regard by Pharaoh that he was appointed ruler over all Egypt. Joseph was put in a position to oversee the preparation and distribution of food during an otherwise deadly family. Through Joseph’s life of suffering, false accusations, and unjust treatment, God knew what He was doing.

Nothing anyone planned and carried out against Joseph had the final say. God worked His plan for good and saved lives through it all. Joseph became a new man along the way as he grew in gentleness, humility, love, trustworthiness, and mercy. He did good to his enemies and blessed them and God never left him.

Joseph’s story reminds us that God knows what He’s doing, even in the bleakest situations. He knows everything and works through it all to accomplish His loving purposes. Never has this been more clearly seen than on the cross of Christ. Like Joseph, Jesus was betrayed by jealous family members, sold for pieces of silver, unjustly accused, and He loved those who persecuted Him. Unlike Joseph, however, Jesus died for his enemies and did so willingly and according to plan. What humanity planned for evil against Jesus God planned for good - to save our lives. God knows what He’s doing.

I believe the Father wants to lovingly shift our perspective today by reminding us that He not only knows what He’s doing but our story isn’t over yet. Even if this world is broken, suffering, and feels out of control, we’re in good hands. We can trust Him with today, tomorrow, and every day, and we can partner with Him in what He’s doing!

Let me close with this observation. Several times during ‘Just Mercy’ it looked like Walter McMillian would ultimately be sent to his death. He didn’t and instead went free. He was able to speak out about his experience on death row with people across the country and government leaders. In the years following his release he drew public attention to wrongful convictions and many others were exonerated as a result. The evil that was unleashed on Walter McMillian should have never happened. Yet when Stevenson, a loving and committed disciple, confronted this injustice the end result was that many lives were saved. 

This is a beautiful picture of how He works by partnering with people. He worked through Joseph to save Egypt and Israel. He has worked through Jesus to save humanity. He worked through Bryan Stevenson to save Walter McMillian’s life. He worked through Walter McMillian to save others who were wrongfully convicted. He desires to work through you and me today to make Jesus' love and grace known in the world. May our hearts be encouraged knowing that no matter what we face He knows what He’s doing and can bring great good out of any situation.   

Pray:

Respond to God in prayer by speaking to Him about what stood out to you from this passage this morning.

Listen:

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you this morning?

Apply:

What are you going to do in response to what God is saying to you from the text and by the Spirit?