Page 67 - Living Light 90

Sunday November 16 - Aliens!
Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too
numerous for us.” Exodus 1:8-9
We have come to the close of our journey with Joseph. I hope you have been blessed by his epic story, held together by the twin threads of God’s faithfulness and Joseph’s virtuous life. Joseph fulfilled his responsibility by carrying the baton first given by God to his great grandfather, Abraham. It was a baton of dual promise: Abraham’s seed would inhabit Canaan, and all nations would be blessed through his descendants – initially the Jewish nation, but ultimately and uniquely through its Messiah, Jesus Christ. The people of promise found themselves marooned in Egypt, powerless, enslaved, in the clutches of arguably the most powerful nation on earth. What’s more, their representative Joseph, second only to Pharaoh, had died, leaving them without an advocate. As a consequence, the royal favour ceased and they then had to endure 400 years of hardship. How did they manage to maintain their identity across 15 or so generations? The answer is that they chose to live as aliens in a foreign land; they refused the temptation of being absorbed into a pagan society. Wonderfully, God used Egypt as the ‘womb’ to carry and give birth to the Hebrew nation. Dear friends, Hebrews 11:13 encourages us similarly to ‘live as foreigners and strangers on earth.’ Why? Because as Christians this world is not our destination; we are en route to God’s promised land. Hallelujah!
Gracious Father, may I become increasingly aware that through your grace my current difficulties will give birth to your divine will for my life. Amen.
Monday November 17 - Last will and testament
Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” Genesis 50:25
Just before his death, Joseph gave instructions about his final resting place. Joseph believed there would come a day when God would open the way for his bones to be carried to Canaan. He died as he lived, a man of immense faith; his embalmed body lay in a coffin in Egypt for almost 400 years. Just before he died, Joseph confidently prophesied, “God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Genesis 50:24).
Joseph was a saviour to his family, he died in a foreign land, and finally his bones were carried back to Canaan (Exodus 13:19). We see clear similarities to another Saviour who died in a foreign land, was raised and returned to his homeland (in heaven): the Lord Jesus Christ. The essential difference is that for Jesus there were no bones; he had risen, never to die again. This unique fact is central to the Christian faith; Christians serve and worship a living Saviour, who has conquered death and given birth to new life, in and through his resurrection.
If you have committed your life to Christ then rejoice; God has given end-of-life instructions on your behalf: ‘For the Lord himself will come down from heaven... and the dead in Christ will rise first’ (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
Father God, I thank you that you have come to my aid, and at my end you will come again and carry me home to glory. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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