Joseph: When Life’s a RollercoasterSample

Joseph and Finishing Well: How to Leave a Legacy that Lasts

From the vantage point of the end, Joseph can look back over his life and see how God worked it all together for good. The dreams have been fulfilled, despite the nightmare. This vision of God’s Sovereignty enables Joseph to finish well and leave a phenomenal legacy. As we wrap up this reading plan, we’ll unpack the truth that we can finish strong and leave a legacy too.

Joseph was hated, betrayed, falsely accused, and imprisoned. And yet, remarkably, at the end of his life, he declares over all the pain and hurt that God has turned it into something beautiful (Genesis 50:20). The ancient Japanese art of mending broken pottery is called kintsugi (meaning ‘golden joinery’). When a broken vase or pot has been restored with gold-infused resin, the item is arguably more valuable and more beautiful than the original. Instead of hiding the repair, the brokenness becomes part of the aesthetic worth. The golden scars tell the story. God mends Joseph’s life and a broken generation, turning the fissures into something exquisite. Miraculously, He is making kintsugi art out of your life too.

To leave a legacy, Joseph prioritized important things (like being at his father’s deathbed), refusing to be distracted by urgent things (like running a country) (Genesis 50:1-14). Perhaps there’s something urgently competing for your attention today. What important things is God prompting you to prioritize (like Bible reading, prayer, reaching out to someone, carving out time with your kids)? Do any of these things feel urgent, considering everything else on your plate? What’s at stake if you don’t prioritize these things?

After their father’s death, Joseph’s brothers were afraid he’d exact revenge. In response, Joseph said, ‘Don’t be afraid… You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives… I will provide for you and your children.’ (Genesis 50:19–21). Joseph could see how God’s Sovereign Grace had triumphed over his brother’s sinfulness, even using their actions for ‘the saving of many lives’. Gaining perspective on God’s Sovereignty helps us avoid bitterness and helps us leave a legacy of reconciliation and trust. There may be events in your past that you wouldn’t wish upon anyone, and yet God has somehow used them to bless you and others. When Joseph was in prison, it wasn’t easy to see how any good could come from the injustice he’d suffered. It’s easy to accept the doctrine of God’s Sovereignty with hindsight. It’s much harder to live it forward by faith. However, prioritizing worship, reading the Bible, and prayer strengthens us in this regard.

As Joseph nears the end of his life, it’s evident he’s living with eternity in mind (Genesis 50:22-26). He knows Egypt isn’t his ultimate home. Even God’s gift of the Promised Land is just a symbol to His people of the hope of eternal life. Think about how you might live today differently if you remembered that your best days lie ahead of you, not behind you. It’s astonishing that despite the trauma, temptation, and injustice Joseph endured, he finished strong and left an extraordinary legacy. Now it’s our turn to trust that our Sovereign God is faithful through every twist and turn of life’s rollercoaster.

This plan was adapted from the series, Joseph: When Life’s a Rollercoaster, on RightNow Media. To find out more, visit: https://www.rightnowmedia.org/uk/get-access