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I was going to mention this earlier, but never got around to it. I was too busy, I guess. My father filled in and gave the sermon at church last Sunday. He mentioned the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites during their Exodus from Egypt, and I'd like to share a joke he told toward the openning of the sermon: A little boy came home after Sunday School and his mom asked what they learned about.
"You won't believe this, mom! The Israelites were in a bad situation. They had the Sea in front of them and an army behind them and didn't know what to do, so they called in the Army and Marines, and with air strikes and a concentrated attack, they killed all of the Egyptians! Then the Navy and Coast Guard organized a plan for all of them to pass to the other side on the decks of aircraft carriers and in transport ships!"
"Now Tommy, are you sure that's what they taught you today?"
With some reluctance, the boy kicked at the ground, dug his hands in his pockets, and replied, "Well, no. But if I told you what really happened, you just wouldn't believe me!"
Sometimes, the mircles that God performs in our lives are just too wonderful to describe without others questioning your honesty. Real honesty, though, comes from someone who is willing to step back and admit that the real work in their lives came not from their own efforts, but from the Lord working miracles in them. My life changed dramatically last year through my Bible reading, but it wasn't my reading of the words that caused the change. It was God speaking to my heart as I read His love letter to us all.
Do you have any good stories to share of God's will in your life? Or would you like to contribute to a future newsletter? Just let me know!
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The cup bearer and the baker for Pharaoh were both imprisoned with Joseph for offending him. Was a dinner party ruined for lipstick on his glass and the upside-down cake served rightside-up? The Bible doesn't say, but the Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the world, so whatever his reasons were, they were taken quite seriously. They both had troubling dreams and Joseph interpreted them.
The cupbearer would see his position restored in three days. Joseph only asked that he be remembered and mentioned to Pharaoh for a release ASAP. For the baker, the interpretation wasn't as pleasant. In three days, he was to be hung and his body left for birds to peck at. Hmm, he must have used baking powder instead of baking soda. It's easy to do...trust me.
The cupbearer forgot his promise to Joseph and Joseph was still stuck in prison for a few years. Just remember, God had a plan and would act when the time was perfect. This was two full years later, as a matter of fact, when Pharaoh had a troubling dream that his magicians and wise men couldn't interpret.
Did Joseph rush to Pharaoh to beg for his freedom? No. He got cleaned up and shaved, as were the Egyptian customs at the time. He wanted to put his best foot forward and he also corrected Pharaoh, telling him that God could interpret dreams, but he couldn't. Gutsy move, Joseph!
After his meeting with Pharaoh, he was called to be the number 2 guy in Egypt. That's quite a leap from his earlier situation! He was responsible for everything and started to stockpile food for the coming famine, which would affect the entire world.
I left off yesterday saying that the entire world was affected. This included Joseph's family, who hadn't seen him in 20+ years. They were starving, so Joseph's ten older brothers were sent to Egypt to buy grain for the family. Joseph treated them harshly and accused them of being spies. He wanted to test them before revealing his identity to them so he called on them to go home and return with his youngest brother to prove their story that he was still alive.
Jacob didn't want to send Benjamin, his youngest son, to Egypt for fear of losing him as he did Joseph, but hunger prevailed. The brothers were on their way back to Egypt, this time with Benjamin, bring double the silver as before, since their money had been returned to them originally. Joseph immediately had a feast prepared for them and released the brother who had stayed in prison as a retainer for the others. I wonder what was going through their minds by this time!
When the time came for the brothers to leave, Joseph had their bags packed with as much food as they could carry and returned their money yet again. He also had his cup included with Benjamin's sack, so he would have a reason for his final test of his brothers. They were chased down and returned to Egypt when the 'stolen' cup was found. The brothers were to be slaves to Joseph for this crime. The test was far from over. Joseph allowed the brothers to go, leaving Benjamin in Egypt. Like true brothers, they pleaded for Benjamin's release. Judah went so far as to volunteer to take the punishment for Benjamin to save their father the grief of a second loss.
The time came for Joseph to reveal himself to his brothers, for they had passed the test. He explained that they need have no fear for he was sent here to do God's work and save all of their lives in God's time. He then told them to go and return with their father to live in Egypt for the remainder of the famine years. God himself then interveined when Jacob was unsure about the trip. When he and Jacob met again, after at least 22 years, I can only imagine the tears that they shared.
The famine continued and eventually, the Egyptians were out of money to purchase their food with, so Joseph let them trade livestock for grain. When the livestock was gone, they sold their land and their very freedom to avoid starvation. Pharoah was a very powerful man in the world at the beginning of this time. Imagine just how more powerful the planning of Joseph made him!
Remember a promise made to Abraham about his descendants... Gen 18:23... And through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed - all because you have obeyed me. Not only in the blessing of Christ, his ultimate heir and blessings to the nations. But all obedient descendants are a blessing to those that surround them. Being obedient should be out of fear of discipline, but for love of our God, that provides for us bountifully.Jacob-Israel was nearing the end of his years in Egypt and blessed Joseph and his sons. The younger of the sons got the greater blessing, and I'm not sure what nation arose from the older yet.
After his death, Joseph's brothers once again feared him, thinking he may now have his revenge on him for what they did and were forgiven for years upon years ago. Joseph eventually died and our reading takes a different course. To summarize Joseph, just remember that God's time, not ours, is when things are meant to happen. Life may hand you a lemon, but the lemonade will be made by God himself.
Job was about as good a man as there was and had found great favor with God for this. Of course, Satan also noticed these attributes and saw Job as a perfect target to exploit, for if he could prove that Job only served God when things went well, he could make a point that God played favorites.
Satan tested Job first by destroying all of Job's property and children. That's harsh, but Satan isn't exactly known for his gentle nature. So in one day, Job went from wealth to poverty. And he continued to praise God, saying that he started with nothing and would one day end up with nothing anyway.
So Satan decided to strike a bit closer to Job's comfort level and afflicted him with painful sores. We're not talking about cold sores, either. There were Satan-inspired wounds that covered Job from head to foot. He was so miserable, his wife told him to curse God and die! But still he retained his integrity and accepted his fate without complaining to God.
Job's friends came to comfort him and could barely recognize the man for all that had happened in such a short time. Finally he speaks. I thought I was long winded! At least he is interesting to "listen to". He curses the day he was born.
The response from his friend sounds less than complimentary. Let's read on.
Job is told to repent for his shortcomings, even though he has told his friends that he has not sinned against God. One thing I can say about Job, he didn't pick friends who were good listeners! Sure, they let him speak his peace without interruption, but they didn't hear what he had to say very well, did they? He even responds in a way that that should have reminded them of this:
"A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow" - Job 6:14-15(NIV)
I don't know if these are the sorts that I would count among my friends, much less my brothers! I suppose Job was also a much more patient and forgiving sort than I, huh?
Another of Job's friends now speaks up, saying that if he is blameless, God will lift him up again to greater esteem and happiness. That's a pretty tentative show of support in my opinion. So Job responds by saying that next to God, nobody could be blameless, no matter how good they were. Were the barbs of Job's "friends" sinking in a bit? His response reminds me of the promise of a savior:
He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more. Then I would speak up without fear of him, but as it now stands with me, I cannot. -Job 9:32-35(NIV)
And a third "friend" responds, wishing God would speak out against Job and let him know just how Job has wronged him. I tell you, with friends like this, who needs enemies?
Weekly LinkBy the time you read this newsletter, my family will be full-blown members of the The Evangelical Free Church of Polk City, a move that I didn't think I'd ever make as little as a year ago. A year ago, though, I was just beginning my first concentrated effort to read my Bible daily and, well, from there God just took over! I tell ya, "There's power in those marvelous words!" The EFCA website has many resources for churches and for individuals, including an online magazine. Admittedly, I haven't gone through the entire site, but that will change in the coming days. |
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