There are moments in worship when a lyric lands beautifully… and also lands a little sideways at the same time. This morning was one of those moments for me. The song celebrated a God who is “always on time,” a God who kept the songwriter from going under, a God who stepped in at just the right moment. And I believe that. I really do.
The anchor of our emotions;
The light of God calling to us.
In Christianity, God is often referred to as our anchor in a storm. But in life, an anchor is also a metaphor for things – like our emotions – that drag us down.
In this image, the anchor is not God holding us steady. It’s the heaviness we feel when fear, confusion, or disappointment drag us under. The rays of light from above represent God’s presence calling us back to Him.
Understanding this is crucial to understanding the message of this article.
But I’ve also lived through times where God didn’t feel on time at all. Times where I felt tossed into deep water and absolutely convinced I was going under. Times where faith didn’t erase the fear, and trust didn’t silence the questions. Even now, with a faith that’s grown and stretched and survived more than I expected it to, there are still moments that shake me before I remember what I actually believe about God’s timing.
That’s the reasoning behind this post – not to critique a song, but to name the gap between what we sing and what we live. Because from God’s point of view, He is always on time. But from ours, the story often looks late, confusing, or unfinished. And sometimes the miracle isn’t that we never went under… it’s that God met us there, held us there, and brought us through in ways we only understand later.
We need something called dialectical thinking
This is one of those “tough questions” worth sitting with and reflecting on. Because Scripture tells us two things that don’t feel like they can both be true:
- God is always on time.
- And God often feels late.
We don’t usually say it that way, but we live it. And the Bible shows it over and over. Think of Mary and Martha waiting for Jesus while Lazarus was dying. Think of Joseph sitting in prison after doing the right thing. Think of David crying out, “How long, Lord?” These are people who trusted God – and still felt like He was late.
The truth is, as believers, we’ve already been taught this. We’ve read these stories for years. But we don’t always realize what they’re showing us. So, when trouble hits our own lives, we struggle more than we expected. We know God is faithful… but it still shakes us before we remember what we believe.
What we see then, is that we already know that God is always on time. And that God is often late. But as Westerners, we have a tendency to immediately reject what I just wrote. We think God can’t possibly be on time and also be late. But in Jesus’ time, and in some cultures around the world today, there’s no conflict there at all. We need to think that way, because it’s what people did in Jesus’ time, in the culture He entered to live on this earth. We need to learn dialectical thinking, as opposed to our one-best-answer tradition in the West. I feel like one-best-answer puts God in a box, because it makes us do one of three things:
- ignore things that might be a conflict,
- pick one possibility and make it our personal one-best-answer, or
- give up on the Bible and on God.
None of those are the true best answer. The true best answer is this: if the Bible says different things, the best answer may very well be “all of the above”.
A quick statement on worship songs
I must say, right off, this is not a critique of this – or any other – worship song. I’m not a song writer. I’m just like most of you – someone who listens, sings, reflects on the words.
Here’s the thing. The people who write the words have a reason for the words they chose, based on whatever prompted them to write the song. On the other hand, when we hear or sing the songs, we have our current situation at the forefront of our thoughts. We can do a great disservice to the authors if we put our circumstances in place of the reason they wrote the words. Or we can miss the point they wanted to make. I’ve even come across people rejecting a song because they didn’t understand what the song was really about.
What I’m going to write is my thoughts from this morning. Other probably have had, have, or will have the same reaction. Others will get it right away. Many will likely have a different reaction to any given song depending on what’s happening in their lives at the time.
So, not – it’s not a knock on any song, any author, anyone’s response to the song we’ll look at, or anyone’s possible negative reaction to what I’ve written here.
Hopefully, I pray, it’s an explanation that will help people to have a better understanding of how to relate worship songs to our lives, thereby having a better appreciation of the songs, and of God. Ultimately, as the songs are intended to do – to bring us into a closer relationship with God.
What’s the worship song I’m talking about?
So, with all that in mind, let’s take a look at a worship song titled “Always On Time”. The authors are: Jonathan Smith, Leeland Mooring, Steven Furtick, and Pat Barrett. I looked them up and found that they are known for testimony‑style, hindsight‑faith songs (Barrett, Mooring) and declarative, identity‑forward worship (Furtick, Smith).
What does that mean? It means they tend to write songs based on someone having gone through a storm – and coming out afterward with their identity firmly in Christ. That fits this song. It’s not about being in the storm. It’s also not an overly generalized view of God with a one-size-fits-all & at-all-times. That explains why it’s so possible to listen to the song – focus on ourselves in the middle of a song – and wonder what this God’s always on time stuff about? And that’s exactly the tension we’re going to examine.
And while we’re going that – I’ll give you passages to show why we already know that if we’re familiar with scripture – and how we can learn it if we’re relatively new to Christianity.
The lyrics to “Always On Time”
The full lyrics are available from many sources on the web. I’m not going to include the entire song, since portions are repeated. If you’d like to check out the source I used, it’s: Always On Time Lyrics at:
https://www.lyricsondemand.com/elevation_worship/always_on_time
🎵 Always On Time by Jonathan Smith, Leeland Mooring, Steven Furtick, and Pat Barrett
I remember how You provided
How You held me through the night
And I remember how You sustained me
When You stepped in to save my life
If I knew then what I know now
I would be still and let You work it out
JesusI was tossed in the water
But I never went under
You were always on time
JesusWhen I went through the fire
You were right there besidе me
You were always on timе
You were always, always, always on time
And You were always, always, always on time
I remember how You carried
When I couldn’t take a step
And I remember how You loved me
When I couldn’t love myself
JesusI was tossed in the water
But I never went under
You were always on time
JesusWhen I went through the fire
You were right there beside me
You were always on time
You were always, always, always on time
You were always, always, always on time
And You were always, always, always on time
Oh, You were always, always, always on time
Oh, what a faithful God
Oh, how He’s kept me and sustained me
There’s never been a day, never been a minute
Never been a moment that You weren’t in it
There’s never been a time that You didn’t see me through, God
So I worship You
There’s never been a day, never been a minute
Never been a moment that You weren’t in it
There’s never been a time that You didn’t see me through, God
So I worship You
There’s never been a day, never been a minute
Never been a moment that You weren’t in it
There’s never been a time that You didn’t see me through, God
So I worship You
There’s never been a day, never been a minute
Never been a moment that You weren’t in it
There’s never been a time that You didn’t see me through, God
So I worship You, oh
Jesus
…source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/elevation_worship/always_on_time
The problem that (can) arise from these words
It’s easy to come off with the idea that God’s timing is perfect. That life is always, always, always good. For a non-Christian, it’s easy to have this feeling and then be so disillusioned when it doesn’t work out that way,
Even for a mature believer, it’s easy to feel, in the middle of the storm – when we just got thrown into the water, that we’re gonna drown and oh by the way – where’s God?
I was tossed in the water, but I never went under.
Can you even imagine being tossed in the water and not going under? When did that ever happen?
I’ve never experienced it, but I’ve seen parents with their little kids, encouraging them to jump into a pool – then they catch the child before he/she goes under. If that’s the image you have when you hear this song, and if you’re a believer – God may or may not catch you. You may or may not go under.
And yet – at the sfame time – it’s very possibly, likely even, that you won’t go under.
Say what? Theres that impossible scenario again. How can God keep us from going under, and yet we do go under? Dialectical thinking.
The reality of going under while not going under
Yes – it really can – and does – happen. Let’s consider just three scenarios.
Going under financially
This first one happens all to often, especially lately. And it’s likely to get worse before it gets better, given the current situation in the U.S. and around the world.
You lose your job. Maybe it was low paying, and you have little to nothing saved. Or even if it was high paying, that might mean you expected it to continue, and now you’ve got lots of debt you can’t repay. Financially – you’re going under. Where’s God? What happened to the “promise” from the song?
Going under emotionally
After losing your home due to the job loss, maybe you move in with parents or in-laws. Some, with no other choices, will end up on the streets. Emotionally, you’re going under. Where’s God? What happened to the “promise” from the song?
Going under relationally
Things get harder and harder. A couple splits up after too much time on the street. Plus, they chad kids. The wife leaves the husband, takes the kids, and goes to a shelter. Now she’s on her own, with the kids, and since she still loved her husband but was forced to do this because of the circumstances around getting help – now she’s depressed as well. Emotionally, she’s going under. Where’s God? What happened to the “promise” from the song?
Meanwhile, the husband, who still loves his wife, and who understands what’s happening to him, can’t come to grips with the feeling that he failed his family. Emotionally, he’s going under. Where’s God? What happened to the “promise” from the song?
The reality of going under
That’s a real scenario. It happens many times, every day. And that’s here in the country that claims to be exceptional. With a leadership that claims to be so Christian. How can that be? Where’s God? What happened to the “promise” from the song?
Do you see what I mean? These things happen to Christians and non-Christians alike. It’s part of life in a fallen world.
But Christians sing songs like this one – “God is always on time”. With lyrics like:
“I was tossed in the water
But I never went under
You were always on time
Jesus”
Really? If those things aren’t going under – what is?
How can stuff like that happen to anyone and they claim they never went under?
I’ve been in situations far less drastic than that scenario – and I’ll be the first to say I’ve been under. Many, many times.
And I asked too many times: Where’s God? What happened to the “promise” from God?
The “other” going under
Well, if we can return to the dialectical thinking concept, there is an answer to the paradox of going under without going under. There must be a different “going under”.
Sure enough, there is another “going under”. And it’s one all Christians know about. Jesus even told us about it when He taught us how to pray.
Prayer – Matthew
…
Mt 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
Mt 6:10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Mt 6:11 Give us today our daily bread.
Mt 6:12 Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Mt 6:13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Do you see it?
Mt 6:13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
But, there’s a catch. We have to know what these verses actually say. Sure, it’s easy to think that if we pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” – that we’re covered. And that this song is merely saying exactly that. And then we wonder: Where’s God? What happened to the “promise” from God?
We’re even more likely to think that if we say a slightly modified version of what we just read. A version does is used in some Bible translations: “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”
One says the evil one – the other says evil. Why the difference? The original Greek version of this verse has one word that gets translated as evil in some versions and evil one in others. The difference comes down to whether the translation presents a more literal viewpoint – or tries to express the thought.
Evil one is the literal translation, even though it’s two English words. That’s because there were various ways to determine the meaning of that Greek word (πονηροῦ) – based on the context. So, some treat it as evil things – others as the source of evil. Back then, the source of evil was Satan, in Jewish terms – and so it’s what Jesus said.
The problem is that today, we have evil coming from all sorts of things, places, people, not named Satan. And that presents a problem for us in understanding what Jesus told us to pray.
Here’s something from a Messianic Jewish author to try to set it straight for us today – as Christians.
✏️✡️ The next part of Yeshua’s prayer is a reminder that we need God’s help for our spiritual walk. Life is difficult, with many strange twists and turns. We will all be tested, yet it is appropriate for us to pray that the Father will not lead us into hard testing. According to James 1:13, God is not the one who tempts anyone to do evil. That is entirely contrary to the nature of God and his hopes for his people. Sin is more often our surrender to the evil inclination within us. Yet we are told to pray that we might endure hard testing, no matter the source. Yeshua mentions the other source of temptation, besides our own flesh, which is the Evil One. Satan (Hebrew for “Adversary”) is alive and well and seeking to devour any unsuspecting soul (cf. Job 1:6–7; Zech. 3:1; 1 Peter 5:8). Although there is a great spiritual battle for our souls, this part of the prayer reminds us to call out to God to keep us safe. The Father has not left us to fend for ourselves, but has provided powerful spiritual armor for our deliverance. As we walk through this life, the battle rages around us. We must keep on the helmet of salvation, wear the breastplate of righteousness, and use the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (cf. Eph. 6:10–18). Assuredly, the battle will be intense many times, yet we are promised victory as we abide in Messiah (cf. 1 John 4:4). 1Kasdan, B. (2011). Matthew Presents Yeshua, King Messiah: A Messianic Commentary (pp. 66–67). Messianic Jewish Publishers.
B. Kasdan – Matthew Presents Yeshua, King Messiah: A Messianic Commentary
And so, we end up with the difficult topic of how God allows things to happen, for good reasons – maybe known only to Him – but also gives us a way to avoid losing our faith. Of course, there are also things that happen because of our bad choices and because this is a fallen world and sometimes bad stuff just happens. And yet, that way to now lose our faith is still there.
Going under without going under – two Points of View
Is it getting more clear? From God’s Point of View (POV) – if we don’t succumb to Satan, then we didn’t go under. And He does give us the “tools”, He is there for us, and it’s always possible for us to come out victorious. But – and it’s an important but – we cannot do this on our own. We must ask for His help (pray), accept it (truly believe in our hearts that God can and will help us) – and then act on His prompting to go from our version of “going under” to His version of “not going under”.
It can be very hard. Especially if we go through something like the triple whammy scenario above. For some, even one is very hard to deal with. Other times, it’s not one big one, but a constant little drip, drip, drip of problems. And for some of us, who deal with anxiety and depression – it just multiplies the effects.
And I can tell you from way too much experience – the human version of going under can make it feel like we’re stuck to that anchor in the image at the top. There’s no time to look for God’s light from above. And sometimes, even when there is time, when it’s so obvious what’s happening, and it’s also so obvious that there is a way out – I’ve felt like I just didn’t care and didn’t want to make the effort.
I’m not going under – I am under. Where’s God? What happened to the “promise” from God?
Those are the times when we have to remember a bunch of characteristics of God. Remember that He can get us back from our human version of under to His version of “you never went under” and I was there the whole time.
But how? How can we remember?
Well, if we know the things I’ve been writing about here, believe them, then we also have help from worship songs like this one. If we understand what it really says. This song was written by someone who went under, without going under- and is praising God for not letting him go under. Someone who went under in human emotions/events – but didn’t succumb to Satan. That’s going under and not going under at the same time – dialectical thinking.
Hopefully, this is beginning to make sense – and the song has a deeper meaning for you.
And yet, there’s one more question to address. What about the title of the song?
You are always on time
OK – we’ve seen that we can go under and yet not go under – at the same time. But going under in human terms is painful. If God’s always on time, then why can’t we avoid the pain? That doesn’t really feel like God’s anywhere near being on time.
Now, I could pick a verse like this one – and tell you this is why, so deal with it.
Trials and Temptations – James
Jas 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
…
Before we look at how Scripture holds this tension, I need to pause and talk about something important. (Please see “Grown Again Christian” for more on that
for more)
💭 Author’s aside note:
No – I don’t often pick out just one verse. But too many Christians do. So – I want to demonstrate why that’s often not only not helpful – but can be harmful.
Can you imagine any other time when someone would tell you to be happy because you’re going through all sorts of horrible stuff – like losing your job, your home, and your wife & kids? That would be cruel. It’s also not what this verse is saying. It’s one tiny little slice of a much bigger piece of pie.
I’ve learned over the years that some Christians say things with good intentions but terrible timing. A few months ago, someone told me, “You’re a sinner,” as if that was the best way to start a conversation with someone who doesn’t know God. And yes — of course we all are. But sometimes the way we say something matters just as much as the truth behind it.
I’ve learned over the years that some Christians say things with good intentions but terrible timing. A few months ago, someone told me, “You’re a sinner,” as if that was the best way to start a conversation with someone who doesn’t know God. And yes — of course we all are. But sometimes the way we say something matters just as much as the truth behind it.
I still know people today who, if they had been my first experience with Christianity, I wouldn’t be a Christian at all. Not because the gospel is harsh, but because their version of it was.
That’s why I want to say this clearly: telling someone to “count it all joy” when they’ve just lost their job, their home, or their family isn’t encouragement. It’s cruelty. And it’s not what James meant. James 1:2 is one tiny slice of a much bigger pie — a maturity verse, not a first‑aid verse. It’s written for believers who have already grown through seasons of trust, not for someone whose world just collapsed.
I still know people today who, if they had been my first experience with Christianity, I wouldn’t be a Christian at all. Not because the gospel is harsh, but because their version of it was.
That’s why I want to say this clearly: telling someone to “count it all joy” when they’ve just lost their job, their home, or their family isn’t encouragement. It’s cruelty. And it’s not what James meant. James 1:2 is one tiny slice of a much bigger pie — a maturity verse, not a first‑aid verse. It’s written for believers who have already grown through seasons of trust, not for someone whose world just collapsed.
OK – so it’s not something like this. But then, what is it about God’s timing that the song says, “You are always on time”?
Does God have perfect timing?
You know, we read and talk about God having all these “perfect” characteristics. So, when you hear a song that says, “You are always on time” – does it lead you to think God has perfect timing?
This song made me wonder about that. It was actually my first inkling that something was off. Then I caught the part about being under the water – and about being in the fire. Sure – Christians know what those are about. But I don’t remember them ever being used as examples of God’s perfect timing. Nor could I remember any other verse being used that way. Not with those words – “perfect timing”.
So, I turned to my eLibrary AI agent and asked it to search for that concept. Below is the chat – consisting of an opening Q&A with two follow-ups.
Are there passages in the Bible that say God’s timing is perfect? There are plenty of times where the questions of “God where are you”, “what are you waiting for”, etc come up – but what about perfect timing?
Yes, the Bible contains several passages affirming God’s perfect timing, though they often coexist with the very tensions you’re identifying.
Ecclesiastes teaches that God “has made everything beautiful in its time,” (Eccles 3:1–11) establishing the foundational principle that divine timing carries inherent beauty and purpose. Paul describes Christ’s arrival as occurring “when the set time had fully come,” (Gal 4:4–5) suggesting that God operates according to a predetermined schedule rather than human urgency. Romans similarly notes that Christ died for us “at just the right time, when we were still powerless,” (Rom 5:6) emphasizing precision in God’s redemptive action.
Habakkuk addresses the tension you mention directly: “For the revelation awaits an appointed time… Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” (Hab 2:3) This passage acknowledges that God’s timing may feel slow while insisting it remains reliable. Second Peter explains this apparent slowness by noting that “with the Lord a day is like a thousand years,” and that God is “not slow in keeping his promise” but rather “patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish.” (2 Pet 3:8–9)
The biblical perspective doesn’t dismiss the “where are you?” questions—it reframes them. Abraham’s experience illustrates this: Isaac was born “at the very time God had promised,” (Gen 21:1–2) yet the wait itself tested faith. The psalmist affirms that personal times “are in your hands,” (Ps 31:15) placing control firmly with God rather than circumstance.
Ecclesiastes also states that “there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,” (Eccles 8:6) suggesting that delay isn’t absence but alignment with a larger order. The passages addressing patience—like Psalm 27:14’s call to “wait for the LORD”—suggest that waiting itself becomes an act of trust in God’s sovereignty rather than evidence of divine indifference.
There seem to be a lot of adjectives about God’s timing – although none says anything about perfect. So, I tried again.
So there’s really nothing like God’s perfect love, perfect knowledge, perfect justice, etc.?
Actually, the Bible contains quite a bit about God’s perfect attributes – you’ll find them woven throughout Scripture, though perhaps not always with the explicit word “perfect” attached to timing.
God is fundamentally defined as love (1 John 4:8–10), and this love carries distinctive qualities. God’s love is described as “everlasting” and expressed through “unfailing kindness,” (Jer 31:3) suggesting a constancy that tasranscends temporal limitations. God demonstrates this love by acting on behalf of sinners while they remain in that condition (Rom 5:8) – a timing that prioritizes grace over judgment.
Regarding knowledge, God’s understanding “has no limit,” (Ps 147:5) and God “makes known the end from the beginning.” (Isa 46:9-10) God knows individuals completely – their sitting and rising, their thoughts, and their words before they’re spoken (Ps 139:1-6). This omniscience stands in sharp contrast to human uncertainty about timing.
On justice, God’s “works are perfect” and “all his ways are just,” (Deut 32:4) and “righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.” (Ps 89:14) God is “a God of justice,” and those who “wait for him” are blessed (Isa 30:18) – suggesting that divine justice operates on a timeline that rewards patience.
The tension you’re identifying remains real: waiting feels like absence. But the biblical framework suggests that what appears as delay may actually reflect the convergence of perfect love, perfect knowledge, and perfect justice working in concert – none of which operates on human schedules. God is “holy love,” with holiness and love pointing to the center of God’s character, where God’s holiness is manifested in relation to creatures1, suggesting these perfections aren’t separate but interwoven.
1 Thomas C. Oden, The Living God: Systematic Theology, Vol. I (San Francisco, CA: HarperSanFrancisco, 1992), 123.
I didn’t make my question quite clear enough, because the response didn’t quite cover what I wanted. So, I tried one more time.
I guess I didn’t ask my question right – but I think you probably answered it – the other perfect attributes are the reason we believe God’s timing is perfect – as opposed to His timing being perfect ever being stated in the contents of scripture.
Thank you for clarifying your question. You’ve accurately captured the nuance.
While the Bible doesn’t use the exact phrase “God’s timing is perfect” in the same way it might explicitly state “God is love” or describe His knowledge as boundless, the concept of His timing being perfect is indeed strongly inferred and supported by the descriptions of His other perfect attributes – His perfect love, knowledge, wisdom, and justice. These attributes provide the theological foundation for understanding why His timing, even when it involves waiting or seems delayed from a human perspective, is ultimately considered perfect within the biblical framework.
What we see then is that because of things the Bible does say – about God’s perfect love, perfect knowledge, perfect justice, perfect works/actions, perfect plans, perfect faithfulness, perfect will – because of all these things God’s timing must be perfect. If not, then the others couldn’t be true.
God’s timing is perfect – our timing is …
So, we’ve reached a conclusion that God’s timing is – must be – perfect. Of course, that’s the POV Christians should have. Non-Christians, well, there’s no expectations that you hold the same view.
On the other hand, our timing is what it is. It’s based on imperfections of all kinds. How could it be perfect? And that, by the way, shouldn’t come as any surprise. After all, one of our goals as Christians, is to become perfect – in the next life.
We know this, from another one of those passages that’s a goal to come closer to – not one we’ll actually reach this side of Heaven. Another goal that’s for what I called “grown again Christians”. It’s from a passage where Jesus talks about perfection in the midst of our struggle with not hating our enemies.
Love for Enemies – Matthew
Mt 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
And so, we see that God’s view of His timing is perfect.
We also “know” from our experience that God’s timing isn’t perfect – from our Point of View.
And yet, as believers we have to deal with the tension between knowing that God’s timing is perfect – while also living through the realities when God’s time isn’t perfect.
We” get back to that in a moment. But first, let’s look at some examples from three people who are counted among the Biblical heroes of scripture.
The paradox of God’s perfect timing in scripture
We’re going to look at Joseph from the Old Testament.
Joseph – God’s timing when Joseph is sold into slavery and imprisoned by in Egypt
Can you imagine that heading is an example of God’s perfect timing? “God’s timing when Joseph is sold into slavery and imprisoned by in Egypt.” Who would consider that perfect? God did. We never read explicitly that Joseph “went under” in the storm that was his life. And yet, we do get very human clues that leave no doubt about whether or how deeply it affected him.
For those that aren’t familiar with Joseph, or want a refresher, you can begin reading about him in Gen 37. If you’d like, it’s on Bible Gateway. I’m just going to go through a few passages to highlight the paradox of God’s perfect timing between our POV and God’s.
It begins with a passage titled “Joseph’s Dream at Gen 37:1.
Joseph hated by his brothers
Joseph’s Dreams – Genesis
Ge 37:1 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.
Ge 37:2 This is the account of Jacob.
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
Ge 37:3 Now Israel (the new name previously given by God to Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Ge 37:5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
Ge 37:8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
Ge 37:9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
Ge 37:10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”
Ge 37:11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
Jacon was probably on top of the world, so to speak. His brothers – not so much. In fact, way worse than not so much.
Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers
Joseph Sold by His Brothers – Genesis
Ge 37:12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.”
“Very well,” he replied.
Ge 37:14 So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
Ge 37:16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”
Ge 37:17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’ ”
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
Ge 37:19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
Ge 37:21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
Ge 37:23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
Ge 37:25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
Ge 37:26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.
Ge 37:28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Ge 37:29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”
Ge 37:31 Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”
Ge 37:33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”
Ge 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son.” So his father wept for him.
Ge 37:36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
I have to ask – how is any kind of timing possible “right” for this kind of thing? When I was a kid – I can’t tell you how many times I tried to read Genesis – and just couldn’t get out of it. What kind of God does things like this – and deal with awful people like these? Eventually, I made it to Exodus. That we kind of bearable – but mostly because of a book on it by Leon Uris. The book is long gone – but I remember it being old & beat up, like I read it many times. I decided to look it up and found this:
✏️ Leon Uris’s Exodus (1958) is a work of historical fiction – a blend of real historical events with fictional characters and a heavily romanticized narrative. While based on extensive research and interviews, it is considered a pro-Zionist “founding myth” rather than a strict, objective documentary, frequently sacrificing accuracy for dramatic effect.
Google Gemini
Based on that description, I probably wouldn’t like the book anymore. But then, I don’t have to. I finally did get past all my early feelings and learned what was really happening then. And part of that is learning about our view of things vs God’s view of things – and the view from Him is the one we need to understand and align with. Why? Among other things, if we believe the Bible, then we really don’t have a choice. He’s God and we aren’t. He promises life – forever with Him. All we can achieve on our own is eternity without Him.
And believe it or not – even in that situation you just read, His timing was perfect.
A good time – until it wasn’t
Maybe you noticed the last verse in the previous passage.
Ge 37:36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.
That was a good thing. Until it wasn’t. Then – it turned into a really bad thing.
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife – Genesis
Ge 39:1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
Ge 39:2 The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”
Ge 39:8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
Ge 39:11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
Ge 39:13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
Ge 39:16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
Ge 39:19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
Once again – just when we think God rescued Joseph – at the apparently perfect time – Joseph gets put in prison. I’m guessing Joseph might’ve had other thoughts.
Of course, wo might also wonder – how was putting Joseph into a place where an all-knowing God obviously knew this was going to happen?
After 2 years, Joseph was freed from prison because he was able to interpret a dream that Pharaoh had. Actually, God gave Joseph the interpretation. As a result of both the dream and what it said was about to happen, Joseph suddenly becomes the number two person in all of Egypt – right under Pharaoh himself.
After 11+ chapters of intrigue and treachery, after Joseph’s father died, and his brothers are all in Egypt, we read the penultimate passage of this whole scenario. One that’s quoted so often – and yet I can’t help but wonder, how often is it quoted without thinking about all that’s behind it. The choices of things said and done – the anxiety and agony – the eventual knowledge that comes out at the end, that we claim to understand but so often cannot live out.
And with that – here’s the finale.
Joseph reassures his brothers after all they’ve done to him
Joseph Reassures His Brothers – Genesis
Ge 50:15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
Ge 50:18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
Ge 50:19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Yes – after all that, Joseph tells his brothers – “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children”
All those lives that were saved – that’s because of Pharaoh’s dream where God told Joseph, who told Pharaoh – there was going to be 7 years of lots of growth for food items – and then 7 years of famine where there would be none. So, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of ensuring there would be plenty of food for the famine period.
So yes – I left out a lot of stuff. I urge you to go read the entire history of what happened. And then be in awe of all the things God has to know, plan for, and ensure were in place for the famine that came.
We can read this and wonder – what kind of God – who are these people – why would God even want to work with these people – all sorts of doubts about so many details and think there’s no way this could happen.
Or – we can trust that it’s true, be in awe of what God did, and maybe begin to realize what this is all about. God’s promise never was to prevent bad things from happening in this life. That’s our wishful thinking, at best. No – what God promised was to keep us from Satan’s clutches. To give us eternal life with Him, rather than eternal life without Him.
God warned us about certain things – and we choose to avoid those warnings. Even Jesus told us:
Do Not Worry – Matthew
6:25-33 pp — Lk 12:22-31
Mt 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Mt 6:28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
A loose translation for today’s topic – there will be more than enough times when we’ll go under – from our point of view. But don’t worry so much about that. Rather, follow Jesus, and we won’t go under in the eternal sense.
Was Joseph OK with all that – or did he “go under”?
Earlier, I said we’d get to how this impacted Joseph. Was God being “with Joseph” enough to keep him from “going under”? As you can surmise, spiritually – yes. But what about on the human emotional level? We’ll see, the answer there is no. The text never says explicitly that Joseph did go under, but the evidence is there.
Genesis does record Joseph weeping seven times. Yes, seven. You may remember, seven is the number of completeness. Let’s take a quick look.
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What are the seven times Joseph weeps in Genesis?
Genesis 42:24: Upon seeing his brothers for the first time in Egypt and hearing them express regret for what they did to him, he turned away and wept privately.
Genesis 43:30: When he saw his younger brother, Benjamin, he was so deeply moved that he hurried to a private room to weep.
Genesis 45:2: As he prepared to reveal his true identity to his brothers, he wept so loudly that everyone in Pharaoh’s household heard him.
Genesis 45:14–15: Immediately after revealing himself, he embraced Benjamin and wept, and then kissed all his other brothers and wept over them.
Genesis 46:29: When he was finally reunited with his father, Jacob, after many years, he embraced him and “wept on his neck a good while”.
Genesis 50:1: Following the death of his father, Joseph threw himself on Jacob’s face and wept over him.
Genesis 50:17: After Jacob’s funeral, his brothers sent a message begging for forgiveness; when Joseph received it, he wept, likely because they still feared he held a grudge.
The three most significant moments for this topic are:
Genesis 42:24: This is the first time he weeps. After twenty years, he hears his brothers privately admitting their guilt and remembering his “anguish” when they ignored his pleas in the pit. The weight of their confession – and the realization that they finally understood what they had done—forced him to turn away to weep privately.
Genesis 45:1-2: This is the “loudest” instance. After years of carrying the secret of his identity and the pain of his betrayal, Joseph finally breaks down completely. He weeps so loudly that the entire Egyptian palace hears him. This moment is often seen as a massive emotional release of decades of suppressed grief and the stress of testing his brothers.
and
Genesis 50:17: Years after the reunion, his brothers send a message begging for forgiveness, fearing he will finally take revenge now that their father is dead. Joseph weeps upon hearing this, likely out of distress that, despite all his grace, they still viewed him through the lens of their past crime and did not fully trust his heart.
There’s something interesting in there, if we notice. It’s the second one. This was right after Judah, one of the brothers, spoke to Joseph.
- The Mirror of the Past: Judah, the very brother who originally suggested selling Joseph into slavery (Gen 37:26), is now the one standing before Joseph. Hearing Judah plead for Benjamin’s life forced Joseph to see a version of his brothers that didn’t exist when he was in the pit. The “impact” of their growth collided with the memory of their previous cruelty.
- The Mention of the “Gray Hair”: Judah repeatedly mentions their father, Jacob, and how losing Benjamin would “bring down his gray hairs in sorrow to the grave.” This was a direct hit to Joseph’s heart—he had already lost decades with his father because of them. The stress of knowing he was currently putting his father through more agony (as part of the test) became unbearable.
- The Ultimate Sacrifice: Judah offers himself as a slave so Benjamin can go free. This was the proof Joseph needed that the cycle of betrayal was broken. The “protection” God provided Joseph (his high rank) finally gave him the security to let his guard down.
It wasn’t the end of the saga. But it is the moment when things came full circle. The moment when, after all the ups and downs, Joseph finally let it out.
So, while we read back in Genesis 39:21about God being with Joseph, it wasn’t until chapter 45 that we read:
Ge 45:1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”
This is when he lost it. After keeping it all in. After he was able to see most of his family. After he was able to know his father and Benjamin were alive. After rising to prominence. After being sent to jail. After rising again to an even higher level. After he saved so many people from the famine. Then – Joseph lost control.
What does that mean?
The real miracle?
The real miracle here isn’t that God keeps us from sinking. The real miracle is that God wants to meet us in the sinking. As the image says – God meets us even at the bottom of the sea. At the pit of our anxiety, fear, whatever is dragging us down. He’s calling to us.
Do we meet Him? That’s the question. Some don’t. Others do. Even when we do, we don’t necessarily realize the full extent of what happened – until it’s over. Or as it’s ending.
What does this mean for us?
I Never Went Under – But It Sure Felt Like It
First – But It Sure Felt Like It. That’s because, in the emotional sense, we really do go under.
I Never Went Under. That’s the case if/when we come to the end of whatever’s happening.
Consider Joseph. Did he know he was going under – or that he was under – while it was all happening. We don’t know. Yes, God was with him. Yes, God was making his life easier than it could’ve been while he was in prison. How much of this Joseph “knew” or felt – we aren’t told.
We do know when Joseph started to let out his emotions. And judging by it happening the way it did, and with the seven episodes of weeping, we know some things. Joseph was under, to some extent or another. And he was keeping it in, which certainly had an impact on how he felt. But then, we also know, once the relief started to come, it was complete. We know from the seven weeping incidents that Joseph was back, and that while he went under emotionally, he didn’t go under spiritually.
Does that mean everything was fine? Not immediately. Not at all. It takes time. God gave us the emotion of grief. He understands what that means for us.
For just one example of that reality, check out the names of his sons.
1. Manasseh: The Necessity of Healing
- The Verse: “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house” (Genesis 41:51).
- The Real Meaning: Joseph didn’t literally lose his memory; his later weeping proves the memories were still sharp. Instead, this name signifies that God had freed him from the grip of the pain. He no longer lived as a victim defined by his brothers’ betrayal.
2. Ephraim: The Purpose of Fruitfulness
- The Verse: “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction”.
- The Real Meaning: Note that Joseph still calls Egypt “the land of my affliction”. Even as the second-most powerful man in the world, he recognizes he is in a place associated with his trauma.
The Spiritual Sequence: Most scholars point out that Manasseh had to come before Ephraim. Joseph could not be truly fruitful until he had dealt with the “forgetting” (the healing) of his past. If he had remained bitter, his fruitfulness would have been poisoned by revenge.
For us day : I Never Went Under — But It Sure Felt Like It
Not everyone goes through something like Joseph did. But then. some, too many, go through things that are worse. Not every bad story has a good ending. It’s also true that we often don’t know the impact of what we go through on other people. For that matter, it may be that we won’t know the impact events in our own lives have on us until much later – and maybe not even in this life.
So, when stuff happens, realize that we will want to pull out that anchor. And it may very well pull us down.
But – if you’re a believer, know that God is calling out for you. Just like he did for Peter.
Jesus Walks on the Water – Matthew
14:22-33 pp — Mk 6:45-51; Jn 6:15-21
14:34-36 pp — Mk 6:53-56
Mt 14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Mt 14:25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
Mt 14:27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Mt 14:28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
Mt 14:29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Mt 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
Mt 14:32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Mt 14:34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
Peter looked at the wind and started to go under. Jesus saved Peter after he called out.
In my analogy, we look at our circumstances, and we pull out our anchor, and start to go under. Jesus will save us after we call out to Him.
There’s a difference though. Peter’s lesson was one that included immediate rescue. Really, it had to be that way. He was going under with real water.
For us, there’s often something for us to learn. If we call out to God right away – and He rescues us right away – what have we learned? Certainly not the lesson that we might’ve learned if we’d gone through the storm. The thing for us to remember is that there’s a difference between being in the storm of emotions and going under – and the possibility of losing faith and going under in the siritual sense.
It’s not easy. I’ve been through so many storms – and I can’t help but wonder if there would’ve been fewer if I hadn’t taken so many years – decades actually – to learn not to ask, “why are You doing this to me?” – but to instead ask, “what do You want me to learn from this?”
I have to say also – one of the lessons I learned is that by scream out at God – the very act of screaming out to Him was an acknowledgment that I believed He existed, that He could do something about what I was going through, and that, while I still had to work on just how good He is, whatever He wanted for me was better than being where I was.
But that’s just one of my many lessons. Yours may very well be different. Also know – there’s more than one. Becoming a follower of Jesus isn’t just saying a few words. It’s a journey. A transformation. But worth so much more than we could even imagine.
So – if you’re under – remember to look for God’s light. It’s there – because He is there. Just call out, even if you think He’s not there. He will be if you really mean it when you call to Him. Even if you’re mad at Him.
Don’t believe that? Flip through the book of Psalms. David did just that many times.
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Footnotes:
- 1Kasdan, B. (2011). Matthew Presents Yeshua, King Messiah: A Messianic Commentary (pp. 66–67). Messianic Jewish Publishers.
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