Good morning! It’s Thursday, January 20th, 2022. Joseph is our guest teacher today. What an amazing story of forgiveness! Even when he could have nailed his scoundrel brothers for their past dastardly deeds, he sees things up rather than down. When the shoe is now on the other foot, he makes a choice …. Instead of returning evil for evil, he decides to use his authority and influence to change the world - and that he does! The whole story of faith in the Old Testament was riding on this decision.
Read on …
Today's Reading:
Genesis 49,50; Psalms 8; Luke 20
Scripture
“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘What if Joseph should bear a grudge against us and pay us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him?’ … Then his brothers came and fell down before him and said, ‘Joseph, we are your servants.’ But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.’”
(Genesis 50:17-20)
Observation
I love that phrase — "Am I in God's place?"
I want to emulate Joseph in wisdom and strength, in leadership and moral purity, in affecting the Kingdom well and affecting those not yet in the Kingdom.
I recall Jacob's blessing upon Joseph. It included this phrase: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring, its branches run over a wall. The archers bitterly attacked him … but his bow remained firm…". This blessing teaches me that when I am attacked, instead of retaliating, I must say, "Am I in God's place?"
In 2 Samuel 16, King David had this same heart. As David's son Absalom drove him out of the city, an opponent, Shimei, cursed him. When Abishai wanted to protect David by silencing Shimei, David's reply was, "If he curses and if the Lord has told him to 'curse David,' then who shall say, 'Why have you done so?'" In other words, David said, "Am I in God's place?"
Application
We each will go through many attacks and setbacks. We will have nay-sayers and opponents that will shoot arrows. I know I have. But what if God allowed them to attack and harass me? Am I in God’s place? For what they meant for evil, God has meant for good in order to bring about the current result of New Hope’s ministry over these past 38 years.
Through the difficult times and exponential growth in Hawaii, we developed the “Doing Church as a Team” concept. It was because of struggles that we began to develop resources, start three bible colleges (Hawaii, Japan, and Myanmar), and train up young leaders. It was through pain and health issues that we passed the baton in Hawaii and started New Hope West.
Prayer
Father, thank You for my afflictions … even when I could not understand why they were allowed. But looking back, I can see Your hand in everything that took place. When the harsh winds blow and assailants shoot arrows, my knee-jerk reaction is to retaliate. But instead, I will pause and say along with Joseph: “Am I in God’s place? For the evil that came against me, God meant it for good in order to bring about His best results!”
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