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Saturday, February 4, 2012

Gen 45:8 and Matt 22:42 "Arranged Circumstances" (February 4)

It's a simple profound question in our reading today.
What do you think?
We can know the answer to the question
by the way that we live out our lives.

Genesis 45:7-8 God sent me before you
to preserve for you a remnant on earth,
and to keep alive for you many survivors.
So it was not you who sent me here, but God.
Joseph's eyes weep bitterly. 
Beautiful tears that embrace his loss.
The brothers' writhe in anguish. 
Radical repentance that moves toward their dad.
Jacob's heart becomes numb.  Long-held hope for a missing son.

You may feel as though you are a victim of your circumstances. 
No, they have been arranged by God.
So, what do you think about the Christ? Matt 22:42
The One Who silenced the Saducees saying:
You don't know the Word and
You don't know God's Power.

7 comments:

  1. Joesph is such a wonderful example to all of us. He kept his faith in the One who was in control and was preserving his life. We never read of him being bitter, or wailing..."oh, why am I here? What did I do to deserve this fate? He just did well,whatever job he was given to do. No grumbling, no complaining, just going forward. He saw the hand of God in ALL that had occurred.....oh, may we see that in our lives. I can see so clearly that He has so sheltered me in so many ways, for every day that I have been alive, even before that to the parents that I was given. In NO way do I deserve the protection, but I am ever so grateful that it has occurred this way. Others are not as blessed as I have been, yet they are living their lives out and showing the glory and honor of God and living in the light of His Word and His power. May we each one press on forward to the goal set before us and trust Him and hold on to Him and praise Him from the roof tops.

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  2. Joseph amazes me.

    Loved by his father.
    Rejected by his brethren.
    Innocently thrown into prison.
    No bitterness.
    Wise, pure.
    Anointed. By God and man.
    Tons of compassion.

    Better yet, tons of GRACE.

    Once agains, Israel escapes certain death by famine through God's provision at Joseph's hand.

    The enemy lost ground that day. Joseph walked with the Lord and the family of faith moved forward.

    2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

    "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere."

    Even through times of no plowing or harvest.

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  3. Bev, so glad you received the package! And you noted the TREASURE that was in that box...the songbook. I pray that you would enjoy it triumphantly!

    Keep glowing, Bev. Christ illuminates your beauty.

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  4. Arranged circumstances...by God...hard to accept sometimes that our situation is okay with God. I think you answered this question best with Jesus's words--we don't know the Word, and we don't know God's Power in the midst of it all. But to be certain, He wants to move on our behalf. Joseph's story humbles me to the core.

    I confess I live mostly on past experiences, past spiritual doctrine with God, not with a fresh renewal of His Spirit, not knowing His Word or acknowledging His Power. He can't do very much for a woman such as me who isn't humble. Humble us to make room for You Lord. Pour into us Your spiritual food of grace, compassion, forgiveness. Thank you for the example of Joseph before us. Help us to live out our faith out generously.

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