“Today is the only day in which we have any power.”
GENESIS 44-45
27“Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. 29If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in misery.’30“So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life, 31sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. 32Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’33“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”(44:27-33)
27“Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. 29If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in misery.’
30“So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life, 31sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. 32Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’
33“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”(44:27-33)JOURNAL
What an ending to a great story...Judah is willing to take the place of Benjamin. Joseph had created a test for his brothers...they passed the test when Judah was willing and actually demanded to take Benjamin's place. At this point Joseph knew that the heart and motives of his brothers had changed. He also was able to see that this path was necessary. It in no way was how he imagined it would happen...yet had it not, they all would have died from starvation and God's promise to Jacob would have been shattered.
Jesus being overwhelmed by grief of John's beheading, withdraws to mourn, yet the crowds follow. He has compassion on them and that same day he feeds them all from the few baskets of fish...what a day and to think that it started after hearing of the beheading of John the Baptist. It started in grief and ended in triumph.
This is a reminder that by waking up this morning, God has authorized and approved of my place, right here, right now. Do I dismiss this and waste the opportunity? It is an opportunity to act, to get better, to become better and to do it seeking and trusting God. Joseph did this every day after he was sold into slavery. I am sure he had his down moments...how could he not, locked in prison and forgotten? He had to think that he was as far from the vision God gave him as possible, yet he was closer than he could have imagined.
That is the message of God for me...I believe when we seek him he gives us visions of the future and the life we are to live, yet he also gives us comfort no matter where we are in that story. Even if we are in a circumstance that seems impossible, He still gives us purpose and motivation to give our best, seek him and win the moments and the day.
When I look at Jesus and Joseph the lesson is crystal clear...give my best today and trust God to bless it. This is truly the best way for me to obey and honor God. In doing so I get to experience his presence, his passion and his purpose. That and that alone is worth it all.
What an ending to a great story...Judah is willing to take the place of Benjamin. Joseph had created a test for his brothers...they passed the test when Judah was willing and actually demanded to take Benjamin's place. At this point Joseph knew that the heart and motives of his brothers had changed. He also was able to see that this path was necessary. It in no way was how he imagined it would happen...yet had it not, they all would have died from starvation and God's promise to Jacob would have been shattered.
Jesus being overwhelmed by grief of John's beheading, withdraws to mourn, yet the crowds follow. He has compassion on them and that same day he feeds them all from the few baskets of fish...what a day and to think that it started after hearing of the beheading of John the Baptist. It started in grief and ended in triumph.
This is a reminder that by waking up this morning, God has authorized and approved of my place, right here, right now. Do I dismiss this and waste the opportunity? It is an opportunity to act, to get better, to become better and to do it seeking and trusting God. Joseph did this every day after he was sold into slavery. I am sure he had his down moments...how could he not, locked in prison and forgotten? He had to think that he was as far from the vision God gave him as possible, yet he was closer than he could have imagined.
That is the message of God for me...I believe when we seek him he gives us visions of the future and the life we are to live, yet he also gives us comfort no matter where we are in that story. Even if we are in a circumstance that seems impossible, He still gives us purpose and motivation to give our best, seek him and win the moments and the day.
When I look at Jesus and Joseph the lesson is crystal clear...give my best today and trust God to bless it. This is truly the best way for me to obey and honor God. In doing so I get to experience his presence, his passion and his purpose. That and that alone is worth it all.
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