What wonder is there in these two words? Some forty-three times in Scripture we see these two words appear. The first word, “but,” is a conjunction of contrast and is followed by the name of the Sovereign of the universe, God. That should immediately bring to the thinking of every person whose faith has been placed in this God, a confident expectation of that which will be dramatically different from what has just been mentioned. Such was the case in the life of Joseph and his family. We see his own brothers jealous of his position over them and their conspiracy against him. In their plot to kill Joseph, he goes from the desert pit, to Egypt, far away from the land of blessing. Or was he far away? No, for Joseph, mature in his knowledge of God’s grace, makes the right application of Truth. As Joseph rose to power in Egypt and famine brought his brothers back into his presence, he is able to say to them --
… “you thought evil against me, But God meant it unto good.”(Genesis 50:20 KJV)
The brothers’ wickedness had come to light, yet, grace was being demonstrated to them, undeserved, unearned; just the love and grace of God in action. Some four hundred and thirty years later, Joseph’s bones served to remind the people of God’s deliverance. Under the leadership of Moses, the Jews were set free from slavery in Egypt, or so it seemed. But pharaoh had other intentions. Imagine the fear that swept the Jews of the Exodus as they saw the dust clouds billowing in the sky from the chariots of Pharaoh’s army. Had God brought them out of Egypt to have them slaughtered in the desert? It seemed like an inevitable disaster as panic struck the people. In their fright, they complained and hurled insults against Moses. Fearing their impending death, they had failed to factor into the equation the most important variable -- BUT GOD!
… “But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."(Exodus 14:13-14 NASB)
God did just that, and they crossed the Red Sea on dry land. Miraculous as was God’s dealing in the lives of Joseph and the Jews of the Exodus, the most amazing feat of grace is seen in God giving the Son. Mankind finds he is hopeless and helpless, dead in trespasses and sin and possessing no remedy of his own. To the churches in the Lycus Valley, the Apostle Paul forcibly writes --
… “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”(Romans 5:8 NASB)
… “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
(Ephesians 2:4-7 NASB)
Finally Paul says --
… “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”(Galatians 6:14 KJV)