Even in the Shadow of the Valley of Death

Date: Saturday, January 24, 2026

The big reveal in Genesis 45 is the most emotional scene in the Old Testament so far. Joseph can’t hold it back anymore; he weeps so loudly that the Egyptians hear him. He finally reveals his identity: ‘I am Joseph!’ But the real punch is his theological interpretation of his own trauma. He doesn’t say, ‘You guys really messed up, but I’ll forgive you.’ He says, ‘God sent me before you to preserve life.’

This is an extreme lesson in the theology of providence. It doesn’t minimize the evil the brothers did. They were still responsible for their malice. But it maximizes the sovereignty of God. God didn’t just make the best of a bad situation, He hijacked their evil and drove it toward salvation. This is the Shepherd of Psalm 23 at work. Even in the valley of the shadow of death (the pits, the prisons, and the famines) the Great Shepherd is preparing a table in the presence of our enemies.

We often want a God who prevents the mess. Instead, we have a God who enters the mess and transforms it from the inside out. Joseph’s tears are the tears of a man who sees the hand of God in his scars. It’s an attitude that refuses to let us be victims of our circumstances. If God can use a slave trade to save a nation, He can use your current Egypt to bring life to others. Your history isn’t a series of accidents; it’s a personal narrative being written by the author of grace.

Devotional Prompts

Joseph viewed his trauma through the lens of God’s providence. How might your past Egypt be a setup for future preservation?
How does Psalm 23’s promise of the ‘table in the presence of enemies’ change how you view those who have wronged you?
Do you find it harder to forgive others or to believe that God is actually in control of your darkest moments?
In what ways are you currently weeping over a situation that God might be using for a greater good?

Prayer Shepherd of our Souls, thank You for being with us in the valley and the palace. Help us to see Your hand in our scars and Your purpose in our pain. May we find the grace to forgive because we trust Your sovereignty. Amen.