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PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Friday November 7 - That’s all things!
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
CH Spurgeon famously said, “When you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head”, and “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” We cannot overstate the importance of the Scriptures’ testimony to the overarching control of God in all things, and the security and faith-building that follows. The New Testament counterpart to Genesis 50:20 must be Romans 8:28, ‘And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.’ That means all things!
In Genesis 45:5-8 Joseph reassures his brothers by saying that the painful episodes of his life are ultimately a result of God’s plan: “So it was not you who sent me here, but God.” His being misunderstood, criticised, rejected, sold into slavery, falsely accused, forgotten, and ultimately promoted to being a powerful ruler were all under the direct supervision of God. Dear Christian friend, you can write your story here – the truth will be the same. God has promised to ‘work all things together for good’ for those who love him and have been called by him into a saving relationship with Jesus. The details will be different, but the process and end are the same – a close and dependent walk with the ‘Rock of Ages’.
Father, help me to see your hand in every circumstance of life, and trust that you are working in them for your glory and my good. Amen.
Saturday November 8 - The one who provides!
“So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:21
We have reached the end of ‘the book of beginnings’, and the end of Joseph’s role within it. What an amazing introduction to the word of God Genesis is! Clearly, we would struggle to make sense of the rest of the Bible without Moses’ inspired opening. He moves quickly from creation to fall, and the promise of redemption and restoration, but then meanders through the lives of those to whom the promises are given. As we’ve seen, this enables us to read ourselves into their stories – or at the very least to learn from their relationship with God, and his faithfulness to them.
But the focus is always on God himself, and what he is doing in making sure his promises prevail. Joseph’s role is to be a willing participant, even through suffering, to ensure that the chosen family of God remains intact and sustained. Today’s text, “So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones” offers kind words of comfort. Whatever legacy Joseph left to his family, there is a divine provider who, out of mercy and love, is storing up an ‘eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison’ (2 Corinthians 4;17) for those who trust him. Joseph’s gracious, thoughtful manner once more points to Jesus, who said that he is ‘gentle and lowly of heart,’ and in him we find rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29).
Father, thank you for the important things we glean from the life of Joseph. Supremely, that you are worthy of our honour and trust. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY