JANUARY 20, 2025

 “It is a world of magic and mystery, of deep darkness and flickering starlight. It is a world where terrible things happen and wonderful things too. It is a world where goodness is pitted against evil, love against hate, order against chaos, in a great struggle where often it is hard to be sure who belongs to which side because appearances are endlessly deceptive. Yet for all its confusion and wildness, it is a world where the battle goes ultimately to the good, who live happily ever after, and where in the long run everybody, good and evil alike, becomes known by his true name . . . That is the fairy tale of the Gospel with, of course, one crucial difference from all other fairy tales, which is that the claim made for it is that it is true, that it not only happened once upon a time but has kept on happening ever since and is happening still."

 - Frederick Buechner,

GENESIS 46-48

28Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father^h and wept for a long time.

30Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”(46:1-4)

MATTHEW 14:22-36

25Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

JOURNAL 

The triumphant end of the story of Joseph is really the stuff of a fairy tale. It is an absolutely amazing story, especially given that it occurs within the political structure of one of the most powerful kingdoms on earth. Jacob could have never dreamed that this would be how his story would end, in fact when it appeared that everything was turning against Jacob it was really turning for him. I cannot imagine the emotion he must have felt when he finally was able to reunite with Joseph.

It is because of these stories that Jesus reprimands Peter, nothing is too great or too much for God. That doesn't mean that everything we want in the time that we want it will be granted by God. God is not our magic genie. But we are a part of an epic story.  This is why it is so important to write things down and record them. What if these stories of Joseph and Jesus were not recorded? 

Stories are vital because they allow us to reflect and understand God in ways that are far greater than the circumstances of today. It helps me to trust him and understand that I too have a place in the story but that story is far bigger than today. Yet still my story matters and my actions matter. It is why God and God only is to be the ruler of our lives. For when God is Lord of our lives...He promises that it will not be in vain. He promises that redemption will come and we will get our happy ever after...one way or another. 

43Thus the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it.

44And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.

45Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.

Joshua 21:43-45