On pythons and pharaohs
When Julian Lloyd Webber’s brother spoke to his older brother Andrew, and asked on behalf of his headmaster whether he could put together and end-of-year school musical for the following year, he set off an interesting train of events. Andrew rang his friend, Tim, who said ‘let’s use the story of Joseph’. This they duly did, and at the end of the Easter term in 1968, the resulting 15-minute musical was performed. By the following year it had expanded, and was performed in Westminster Central Hall, where Mr Lloyd Webber senior was the organist. It then became a stage show, a film, a hit musical from London to Broadway and beyond, and is still going over 40 years later. Tim Rice picked a cracking story – with everything from family jealousies and power plays to sex, imprisonment and famine.
I have enjoyed preaching on the Biblical story during the month of October. Joseph is an intriguing character, a vital link in the chain of promise which stretches all the way from Abram to Jesus. Not only that, but he may well have left his mark on ancient Egyptian life. Some believe that Pharaoh Akhenaten (pictured below right) was Joseph’s grandson, Intriguingly,during his reign he insisted that only one true God should be worshipped…
At this evening’s service I reach the cathartic moment in Genesis 45 in the Joseph story where his identity is revealed to his brothers. The remarkable thing is his complete lack of any rancour towards his brothers or to God. Since their last meeting he has been thrown in a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused of attempted rape, forgotten about in prison for at least two years before finally being released. In all of this, he chooses to see the good. This generosity of spirit and outlook is so astonishing as to almost seem preposterous.
This is where my ‘idle’ moment comes in. Reading the passage and preparing the sermon I could not get former Python, Eric Idle and his song , out of my head. What, exactly, is it that makes Joseph’s words any different to Idle singing ‘always look on the bright side of life’? (Which you can hear if you click on the image below). I believe there are answers, but I would LOVE to know what yours are.
Suggestions on a postcard, or in the comments box, please…sermon is at 6.30pm!
Images: suchsmallthings &amarnaproject
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Does Joseph see both sides, light and shadow, but choses to walk in the light? Whereas, in Eric Idle’s song is the shadow side avoided?
Shaun – you make a very good point. Joseph sees both sides, wreathed in faith – whereas Idle’s is more of an “ostrich” song, I think.
As someone who’s had a tough few years… and who speaks openly (if not frequently) about using anti-depressents I think it’s an interesting comparison. The ‘bright side’ brings to mind a false cheeriness – rather than seeking to look for the ‘good’/learning opportunities in the ‘realities of life’, does it have a sense of trying to pretend they are not there? I did, however, for a year, write/draw things to be thankful for & may try again next year as TWR gave me a diary for next year. As you will know it can be tiring in difficult times to remain thankful and I believe God lets US be honest with him & shares our pain (where would I go for examples of that?). Make any sense?
Seems to me the Psalm are chock-full of David shaking his fist at God and “sharing his pain” in no uncertain terms. Interestingly, some of the prophets are invited to share GOD’S pain – and out of that comes a paean of deep theological truth. Think of Hosea with his broken marriage, widowed Ezekiel and Jeremiah in the stocks. Theirs is a theological steel of belief in God’s sovereignty tempered in the fire…
Reading through Genesis 45, I am struck by how much weeping there is-from Joseph, from his brothers, from his father. This is a happy ending, but it has come at great cost.
They will never get back those lost years, Joseph is still a foreigner living in a foreign land, his father has grieved for him for years….I don’t think this is a superficial glossing over the bad things
and “looking on the bright side” approach, but a deeper realization that God can bring good out of all circumstances, even if the road there is long and hard.
Like Bex’s comment about thanksgiving. A discipline of gratitude even in pain is v different to a superficial cheeriness.
Also, Joseph’s declaration is a looking back and seeing what God has made good, which is different to an ‘everything’s fine’ in an impossible present?
So true. What Joseph displays is so much more than “grin & bear it” (Or “grin & bare it as someone once mistakenly typed in a prayer letter – which would be something different entirely). This is the resolution to see the hand of God, I believe.
And there’s the key: It’s not so much that Joseph looks on the positive side of his ordeal, but that he recognises, wonder of wonders, that in the midst of the horrors God has been involved all along. ‘You meant it for evil but God meant it for good.’ The story isn’t about an optimistic mindset but about God’s redemptive involvement in our lives.
Today’s wordlive http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-10-28/Waiting-patiently…
We have had the celebrations, this year, of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and of Olympics 2012/Paralympics 2012. Appropriately Eric Idle sang at, if I remember correctly, the Olympics closing ceremony. Perhaps the ‘bright side of life’ is to celebrate and remember the ‘good things’ and use them to stimulate ‘good, positive, thoughts’. Even Jacob must have rejoiced that he had at least 70 descendants. Benjamin made up for Rachel’s lack of children!
Joseph had indeed been through so much; and seems to have learned not to ask ‘why?’ but “what are you trying to teach me though all of this, God?” Allowing God to use what seems so difficult in order for Him to bring blessing out of brokenness. Like Dr Bex, I too have an extremely difficult past two years (www.ministriesbydesign.org) and one of the most helpful healing experiences has been following Ann Voskamp’s suggestion of learning gratitude and keeping a gratitude list, aiming for 1000. I’m on my second thousand; learning actively to look for the blessing in the brokenness; learning to choose joy. But that’s not easy when in the depths of PTSS and depression. So what was Joseph’s secret that enabled him to avoid those depths? I hope you will post your sermon and your thoughts on this, Richard! And thank you for this thought-provoking blog!
It reminds me of one of those road signs ‘men at work’. Joseph sees ‘God at work’ as he puts it ‘God sent me’. As well as bringing about salvation for His people through Joseph, we see the transformation in Gen 45 of Joseph from spoiled favourite son to a forgiving brother, and in the rest of the family too.
There are some people who can only see the negative in situations and always think of the worst things which might happen. There are those who close their eyes to problems and think that everything in the garden is lovely; they do not see that even difficulties can be significant and important.
How much better to look at things from God’s perspective. In working out his plans for the world, God never forgets the individual. We cannot but be moved when we read the account of reconciliation. Each one of those mentioned in this account was important to the whole scenario. What we can be sure of is that God is working his purpose out and we can but praise and trust him.
In the West we tend to see God only in the good things. Eastern religions portray God/gods with both light & dark sides to them. A more realistic view of life – God in the darkness as well as the light, but more difficult to deal with, especially when there’s a lot of dark in your life.
Python’s did a version of All Things B & B which I find refreshingly honest, and in tune with what science tells us – other people I have shared it with reacted very sharply against it. http://www.lyricsdepot.com/monty-python/all-things-dull-and-ugly.html John Robinson wrote movingly when he was dying of trying to believe God was in the cancer.
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