Page 20 - Living Light 90

Wednesday September 17 - Sent to save
All the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine
was severe everywhere. Genesis 41:57
In the Bible and throughout history God has continually raised up and prepared individual human beings to accomplish his purposes. Mentioning just a few, Scripture reveals ‘saviours’ of Israel, such as Moses, Deborah, Gideon, Samuel, King David, and Elijah. Another was Queen Esther who, hundreds of years after Joseph ruled in Egypt, was also exiled and elevated to royal position. When wicked Haman conspired to annihilate the Jews, Mordecai urged her to appeal to her royal husband: “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
These stories, and above all the example of Jesus himself, have inspired countless Christians down the centuries to respond to God’s mission to preach salvation and to demonstrate Christ’s compassion in practical ways to those who are perishing. Now in our broken world he is calling our generation, including you and me, to serve his purposes of blessing the world with his love. Ephesians 2:10 says, ‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ Are we willing to offer our lives to do this, to fulfil the unique destiny he has prepared us to fulfil?
Father, where are you sending me? Please strengthen me by your Holy Spirit to embrace the adventure of following Jesus. Amen.
Thursday September 18 - Joseph and his brothers Joseph recognised his brothers;... Then he remembered his dreams about
them and said to them, “You are spies!” Genesis 42:8
Famine hits the neighbouring lands, and Jacob sends his ten sons to buy Egyptian grain. Multitudes flock to storehouses throughout the country but ‘coincidentally’ they arrive at the same place Joseph is visiting that day. Among the crowds he recognises his brothers. The years fall away, and he is a terrified teenager again, begging for mercy. Imagine Joseph’s shock, and then the realisation that his youthful dreams of them bowing ‘with their faces to the ground’ are being fulfilled before his eyes.
What are Joseph’s options? Should he reveal his identity? Retaliate by enslaving or even killing them? Or choose the challenging road towards reconciliation? Later, in Genesis 45 we see he does just that, with deep affection, forgiveness and generosity. For now though, Joseph bides his time, needing to discover the state of their hearts and what is happening back home with his father and beloved brother Benjamin. He speaks sternly, demanding to know their story, while (and although the text does not say so) surely seeking God for discernment and grace.
Joseph was wise. Proverbs 29:11 says, ‘A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.’ Forgiveness may take time to be fully worked out. It is not cheap, and God wants it to be accomplished with truth and mercy. How would we respond to such a ‘blast from the past’?
Father, when confronted with others’ sin, help me not to yield to impulsive anger but trust that you will bring justice. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY