The Shepherd's Psalm (Pt. 2)

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:1-3 ESV).

 

Let’s dig a little deeper in these verses selected yesterday to begin the journey through the 23^rd Psalm. The description of the work of Yahweh Ra’ah, the “God who is Shepherd,” is that He leads His sheep to green pastures and still waters (v. 2). It has been quoted so often I fear we may have lost the impact of such an incredible declaration. Sheep require much more care than other animals. Cattle and horses, dogs and cats have more sense than sheep when they are on their own. Sheep, on the other hand, require the watchful attention of their shepherd. Sheep can’t roar like a lion; they can’t run like a deer. They can’t even play dead like a possum. All they do is stand on their spindly legs or get themselves lost as they wander about. Sheep are a fitting example of our spiritual weakness and ignorance.

 

Yet the image appeals to people in the chic urban hotspots and well-manicured suburbs. Perhaps that is so because in our deepest thoughts we really do recognize how weak we are. Maybe we do sense that God’s companionship and protection transforms every circumstance into a place of green pastures and quiet waters.

 

I don’t know what your circumstance is in this moment. Perhaps it is in the midst of a contentious relationship breakup. Or, perhaps you find yourself facing a future where your health or the health of your loved one is teetering on the edge of failure and death. You could be facing financial challenges beyond any possible means at your disposal. You have decisions to make that simply overwhelm your every waking moment with the complexity and challenge of any possible way forward. It may even be that you’ve given up; your joy has long since abandoned you to deep despair. I have great news for you… the Lord is the Good Shepherd.

 

Green, lush provision awaits you. Still, peaceful waters are ahead. It is only a matter of walking with the One who desires to share your burden and lead you there. You are not forsaken or forgotten, though it may feel that way. Turn your attention to the watchful eye of the Shepherd. You know Him because He knows you. He knows everything about you and is now working it all to your good. Trust Him!

 

The Shepherd's Psalm (Pt. 1)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:1-3 ESV).

 

One of my favorite psalms is known as “The Shepherd’s Psalm.” Some have even given it the moniker of “The Song of the Nightingale.” However we reference this great song of encouragement, it is one of the most read and referenced of all the Old Testament. Our reading is taken from the first few verses.

 

Perhaps a bit of background is important as we begin a look through the verses of the 23^rd Psalm. Sheep and shepherds are common metaphors in the Old Testament. God is often mentioned as the shepherd of His people Israel. Only once, however, do we find the name Yahweh Ra’ah, which means “the LORD is my shepherd” (v. 1). The Hebrew word “ra’ah” is the common word used for “shepherd.” It describes one who tends, leads, feeds, and protects his flock of sheep. Immediately we then see the reference that God, Yahweh Ra’ah, cares for his people, providing for all their needs and guiding them in protection. Yahweh Ra’ah cares for his covenant people as a flock and as individual, precious sheep. As we fast forward to the Gospels, we hear Jesus say:

 

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:7-15 ESV).

 

As we journey through this psalm, we must remember that the Lord is our protector, provider, and guide. Throughout our lives we find ourselves facing the same questions in different circumstances. We come to a point of desperation, near hopelessness, because we simply have forgotten that Yahweh Ra’ah is looking over us. There will not be one lost; there will not be one abandoned. And, once the journey is finished, we will find perfect rest and abundance.

  

The Seven Signs (Pt. 7)

 

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this ⁱon account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (John 11:38-44 ESV).

 

Jesus had been teaching in the villages beyond the Jordan, probably in Perea, which is just north of the Dead Sea. The disciples of Jesus and John the Baptist had at one time baptized in this place. Bethany was close to Jerusalem, and about 20 miles or so from Perea where Jesus was teaching when He received the message that Lazarus was ill. Lazarus began to grow very sick, so his sisters, Mary and Martha, having seen Jesus perform miracles, had sent for Him. Remember, during that time praying for the sick was a religious obligation, or duty, but the main reason Mary and Martha sent for Jesus was that they knew He had healing power.

 

Jesus loved this family, and stayed with them quite often; even so, He did not go immediately but waited two more days. This study of the Gospel of John has shown some excellent examples of God's perfect timing, (especially relating to His delays).  Many times, when our prayers seem to go unanswered, it's because the plans He has for us have a predetermined schedule. Jesus tells his disciples why he is not leaving immediately for Bethany: "This illness does not lead to death." Yet when they arrive they discover Lazarus has indeed died. A great lesson is to be learned at this point. There is a wonderful difference between dying and death for the believer. While the believer’s physical life may end, we simply will never experience death. We merely move from this life to eternal life.

 

Jesus does indeed call Lazarus back from the dead and merely says, “Unwrap him and give him something to eat.” In this midst of this incredible miracle Jesus instructs them to feed Lazarus. No doubt he was hungry. It has been four days. He certainly needed to have the grave cloths removed. He wouldn’t have been able to do that for himself. But, couldn’t Jesus have done that also? The answer gives us a clue to our part in the miracle of real life. Again, it is not a chore to be completed; it is a blessing to be experienced. We get to do what we are equipped to do while trusting Jesus to do what only He can do!

 

 

The Seven Signs (Pt. 6)

 

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. (John 9:1-7 ESV).

 

The full context of this miracle is found in the whole of the chapter. However, we may begin with this portion for today. Every time I read this, I can’t help but wonder what went through the mind of the blind man when he heard Jesus. All his life people have been telling him he’s cursed, that his blindness is punishment for some sin his family committed. There are multiple layers of encouragement and caution for us in these verses. Not only does Jesus dispute this kind of thought, he also absolves the man of all guilt in front of the disciples, and, he announces that God is going to display his glory through a blind man’s life. It is more a story about how Jesus restored his soul.

 

Too often we Christians are like the Pharisees of old. We look at people, find something in their life that isn’t quite perfect, and make a note of how much they "need God." What we’re really saying is, "Look at how messed up this person is, you know it’s because they’ve turned away from God." Just like the disciples did. The truth is that they are blessed with the unique capacity to bring glory of God. In our twisted human nature, we tend to view people in ways that demean their value to God and reveal the diminished value we place upon them. In Jesus' interaction with the man born blind, all the other people around the man viewed him as less than someone special to God; in fact, most didn't truly value him as a person at all. They become the stark reminder of our own filters for dismissing and not investing in others.

 

We must observe two things. First, every person is of great value to our God regardless of their circumstance. God loves every person so much He gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice sufficient to redeem them. Second, when we fail to act toward others with that same understanding of value, it speaks to our deficiency, not theirs. Perhaps we should return to a much more basic understanding of the wideness of God’s mercy and grace than we so often practice today.

 

The Seven Signs (Pt. 5)

 

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. (John 6:1-14 ESV).

 

The miracle of Jesus feeding the multitude is the only miracle Jesus performed that is mentioned in all four Gospels. I hesitate to attempt any real exposition of this reading in the space I have allotted for the devotional; though we must not hurry through some of the incredible applications for us today. The caption of the picture I’ve chosen to attach gives us a basic thought: Nothing is impossible for God. The exchange between Philip, Andrew, and Jesus gives us so much insight into both the character and power of the Lord.

 

Picture the scene. If you have traveled to Israel at this place to the northeast of the Sea of Galilee as I have, you will know the relatively small area that these thousands of people were gathered to hear Jesus. It was very crowded. Undoubtedly the disciples had not seen this size group yet in Jesus’ ministry. Like most preachers, Jesus tended to go a bit longer than they thought was appropriate. Most of the people had not come prepared to stay all day without food. I picture the first question of Jesus to Philip with a hint of humor from Jesus. It is as if he smiles broadly, almost conspiratorially, and asks Philip, “Where can we buy bread enough to feed everyone?” (v. 4). Philip gives the Lord an honest answer. He told him there wasn’t any place to buy that much bread, even if they had the money to do so. Thinking Philip might have failed the “test” Andrew comes to the rescue with a bit of humor in answer. He says, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” And, then comes the lesson. Without humor, though patient and kind, Jesus simply said, “Have the people sit down.” You know the end of the story. Jesus takes the little boy’s lunch, gives thanks for it, and everyone ate their fill, leaving enough for the disciples to have their own lunch the next day!

 

I wonder how many times we have looked at our circumstance and thought, “There’s no way.” It is so easy to forget that even when there is no human way, all things are possible with the Lord. We have become so conditioned to independence and self-reliance that we have forgotten, or at least significantly discounted the power of God to do all that He has determined for us.

 

The Seven Signs (Pt. 4)

 

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. (John 5:1-9 ESV).

 

The next miracle of Jesus that John records after His healing of the royal official’s son is the healing of the lame man at Bethesda. Unlike the former healing, the healing of the lame man took place in Jerusalem, where Jesus had gone up to celebrate one of the feasts “of the Jews” (v. 1). This would have been one of the great pilgrimage feasts, such as Passover or Booths/Tabernacles, that required Jews to make the journey to the Holy City, but John does not specify which one it was. Bethesda was the name of a pool, which was one of two pools at Jerusalem’s Sheep Gate. There Jesus met a man who “had been an invalid for thirty-eight years” (vv. 3, 5).

 

It is important to note that Jesus selects the lame man out of a crowd of many people who were unwell. He approaches the man and asks if he wanted to be healed (v. 6). At first read it seems like a ridiculous question. He has been there for nearly four decades hoping to get into the water before the others to receive healing from the waters “when they were stirred” (v. 7). It is also notable that there is almost no indication that the man had faith in Christ when Jesus healed him. Later verses state that he did not know who Jesus was at the time of his healing, and he later reported Jesus’ activities to the authorities who were out to accuse Him of sin (vv. 12–13, 15). Regardless of whether the man had faith or how strong his faith was, Jesus healed him (vv. 8–9a).

 

Our sovereign God does not need our faith in order to intervene in His world supernaturally. However, this does not mean that we are not to intercede on our own behalf or that of others (cf. James 5:13-16). The key is not in what we do, but what He does. He will work His will for our good, even when we least expect or deserve it. We cannot fall into the trap of thinking that God is an uncaring divinity. He loves us and only desires our good in all things.

 

The Seven Signs (Pt. 4)

 

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. (John 4:46-53 ESV).

 

While this is the third “sign” in John, it is the second miracle. Our reading tells us of a man, apparently of high status, begging Jesus, known more at this time as a teacher of common background coming from Galilee and a carpenter’s son, to come to Capernaum to heal his son.  It was a very pivotal moment in the development of Jesus’ authority. Jesus’ reaction to the man’s plea reveals a little weariness with the people who are looking for miracles on demand, rather than truly seeking to know the Father. But the official seems to ignore Jesus’ response (v. 48), doggedly beseeching Jesus to hurry to Capernaum to save his son.  He hasn’t come for demonstrations, he already believes and is now begging for his son’s salvation.  In fact, he believes so strongly, that when Jesus tells him his son will live, the official does not insist that Jesus come to his son.  Rather he “took Jesus at his word” and leaves for Capernaum.

 

Where does the official’s great faith come from?  Was he at the wedding in Cana and a witness to Jesus’ first recorded miracle?  John doesn’t say, although he does note “this was now the second miracle that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.” But the official doesn’t just demonstrate a belief that Jesus is capable of “signs and wonders;” he also shows great faith in Jesus’ compassion.  He is utterly confident that Jesus can and wants to perform this individual act of salvation. 

 

The absolute faith of this royal official is striking. He is certainly a wonderful example of the kind of trust we are to have in Jesus. He can be trusted to do that which is good in our lives.

The Seven Signs (Pt. 2)

 

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:13-17 ESV).

 

Can you imagine what the disciples felt while this was going on? How embarrassed they must have been by the actions of Jesus! They had not been with him very long; they did not know him very well. They had been attracted by the amazing things he said and the things he did. They believed with all their hearts he was the expected Messiah. They had not worked out all the theological puzzles that that must have been raised in their minds, but they were committed to following him. Yet the first thing he does is to “embarrass” them with this temper tantrum at the Temple. Or, at least that’s what it must have looked like at the moment. The truth is it was not a temper tantrum, but a righteous act by their Sovereign God.

 

Perhaps they should have remembered the psalmist: “The zeal for thy house has consumed me” (Psalm 69:9a). Had that happened they may have come to the quiet realization of the divine refusal to put up with inward impurities. We do see the truth that God simply does not compromise with evil and wickedness. This touches one of the great paradoxes of our Christian faith. Throughout John's Gospel we will see plainly how anyone can come to Christ, no matter what his background, no matter how far he has gone wrong, no matter how evil he has been — murderers, prostitutes, swindlers, liars, perverts, drunkards, self-righteous hard-hearted cynics, religious hypocrites, proud self-sufficient snobs — anyone who realizes there is something wrong in his life, anyone who wants to be free can come to Jesus. But now the disciples understand, perhaps for the first time, that if you come, be assured that Jesus is not going to leave you the way you are. He is not going to settle for clutter, compromise, extortion and racket, whatever may be defiling and corrupting the temple courts.

 

Many young Christians have misunderstood that. Because he brings us in love and he deals with us in patience, we think that he is going to let us get by with some of the comfortable but wrongful habits we have built into our lives. But he will not. If we mistake that delay for acceptance, we are in for a surprise. What we see in this second sign is Jesus doing what He would do. Our lives will be sanctified. The more we cooperate with that process, the easier our lives become. Our constant stubborn refusal will only result in a more difficult journey. Allow the work of the Holy Spirit to change you.

 

The Seven Signs (Pt. 1)

 

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:1-11 ESV).

 

Today we being a series through the Gospel of John by examining each of the miracles of Jesus recorded in this gospel. John only includes seven, though each one has a particular revelation that points to the truth of Jesus being the Messiah. In today’s reading, we begin with Jesus turning the water to wine at the Wedding Feast in Cana. This setting is important to understand. Jesus, his disciples, and Mary His mother are all present (cf. John 2:1–2). Because both Jesus and His mother were invited to the celebration, the marriage was probably a family affair; one of their relatives likely was getting married. We should also note that in the first century, weddings lasted longer than they do today. The celebration could go for as long as a week and the guests would stay for days. That Jesus would attend such a lavish party says something about the goodness of such events.

 

In the course of the celebration at Cana, the wine ran out (v. 3). This prompted Mary to come to Jesus for a solution to the problem (vv. 4–5). What Mary expected Jesus to do is not entirely clear. What the account does tell us, however, is that it would be Jesus who would determine when to perform miracles and what miracles He would do. While Jesus would actually intervene to solve the lack of wine, He did not finally do so merely because His mother asked but because He made the ultimate determination as to when to begin His public miracles. We should not miss the truth that Jesus determines when and how to answer every prayer.

 

We should also understand that Jesus’ willingness to celebrate at a wedding and even to receive extravagant gifts (cf. John 12:1-8) shows us that Christian discipleship is not incompatible with enjoying nice things in life. We are called to be generous and to be willing to give our all for Jesus, but we may also enjoy all of the good gifts He has made. This is certainly a part of the “life abundantly” Jesus came to secure for us (cf. John 10:10).

Faith in Troubled Times (Pt. 8)

 

So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And 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. (Genesis 45:4-8 ESV).

 

Joseph could not contain his joy once he was sure of his brother’s repentance, but they had the opposite reaction when the sternness of his demeanor vanished and he began to cry (vv. 1-2). Being “dismayed at his presence,” they could say nothing, probably because they thought he would take vengeance upon them (v. 3). Of course, we know this was not his intent, as is plain in today’s passage. Seeing how Judah and the others are reacting, Joseph reassures them of his forgiveness (vv. 4–8). Joseph’s words are some of the most important and extensive in all of Scripture on the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. He refers to the Lord’s activity and intent in his travails four times, affirming his belief in God’s providential governing of history. In reality, his confidence in the Creator’s sovereignty is one factor enabling Joseph to forgive his brothers. In hindsight, he is able to see God’s invisible hand; thus, there is no place for revenge since Joseph knows the Lord used his years of suffering for His good, redemptive plan (v. 5). God used the wicked act of his brothers to advance His will, despite their ignorance.

 

Once more we see the central theme of Joseph’s life, namely that God’s providential rule uses evil, but only for His good ends. His sovereignty is so encompassing that Joseph can even tell his brothers: “It was not you who sent me here, but God” (v. 8). We must be careful here to note that the brothers are still liable for their sin, as Joseph later reminds them of their evil intent (cf. Genesis 50:20). All Joseph means to say is that the Lord’s will is ultimate. In all that occurs, God is at work to make His desires for creation go according to His plan. John Calvin writes: “God acts so far distinctly from them [evil men], that no vice can attach itself to his providence, and that his decrees have no affinity with the crimes of men.”

 

The takeaway for us as we close this brief series in the life of Joseph is that we are not helpless or hopeless. God is in control to bring about good in the life of his children regardless of the evil choices and actions of others.

Faith in Troubled Times (pt. 7)

This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41: 37-41 ESV).

 

If anyone in the Bible had reason to feel hopeless, It was Joseph. Here was a man who was sold into slavery by his brothers, likely never to be rescued (cf. Genesis 37:25-28). Even when he excelled and received an appointment of high standing in Potiphar’s house, Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him and he was imprisoned. He also gained rank while in prison, which was a good thing, although it certainly was not as good as being a free man (cf. Genesis 40:21–23). Eventually, hope flickered for Joseph when a fellow prisoner promised to put in a good word for him with the king (cf. Genesis 40:1–22). But that hope all but died when this fellow prisoner forgot all about him. Two more years passed until Joseph had the opportunity to enjoy the favor of the pharaoh and rule over Egypt as the king’s second in command (cf. Genesis 40:23–41:57).

 

Thirteen years passed from the time Joseph entered slavery at age seventeen until he became the pharaoh’s right-hand man in Egypt at thirty years of age (37:2; 41:46). Even though the Scriptures stress that during this period the Lord was with Joseph (39:2, 21), this is seen more easily in retrospect. Though he never lost hope in God completely, knowing he was sustained until the day of his exaltation, Joseph no doubt struggled with trusting God at times, since He took what seemed the most circuitous route possible to vindicate His servant. God, of course, had the greater good in view the whole time, eventually putting Joseph in a place where he would save many people. This truth applies to us today: God providentially directs all things—even pain—toward His greater good. Even when we cannot see how, the Lord is working all things to the ends of our good and His glory.

 

In the midst of trouble and suffering, it can be difficult to believe that the Lord knows exactly what He is doing. So often it is easier to despair, believing that God has abandoned us and that He will not keep His promise to work all things together for the good of His children (cf. Romans 8:28). But our Father is sovereign, and He is working for our ultimate good and for the advance of His kingdom even when things seem darkest to us. 

Faith in Troubled Times (Pt. 6)

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. (Genesis 39:6-10 ESV).

 

Today we begin a chapter in Joseph’s life that is all too common in our world. He has risen to the pinnacle of success in managing the household of his master. However, he is faced with a monumental challenge in his life from the sexual advances of Potiphar’s wife. His refusal to submit to her sexual demands is both reasonable and clear. She would not relent: “And she spoke to Joseph day after day…” (v. 10). He remained faithful. His refusal and commitment to remain faithful to the Lord will cost him dearly, resulting in his false imprisonment. It become a story from his life that provides hope that by God’s grace, good may eventually prevail in every situation.  There are five things for us to remember in applying this episode of Joseph’s life to our troubled times:

 

§  First, there is the practice of loyalty. The story of Potiphar’s wife is about loyalty as much as it is about resisting temptation. Potiphar’s wife was disloyal to her husband, but Joseph was loyal both to Potiphar and to God.  

§  Second, tragedy is never the end of the story. Potiphar’s wife chooses an angry, vindictive plan (vv. 14-15). When Potiphar came home, his wife showed him Joseph’s cloak and lied accusing Jospeh. Potiphar, outraged at Joseph’s supposed betrayal, put him in prison (v. 20). When Potiphar’s wife stirred her husband’s jealousy and made him throw Joseph in prison unjustly, God was still there, comforting and blessing Joseph. From this we can learn that, even if we are treated unfairly in this life, God will never forsake His children (cf. Hebrews 13:5). Let this be an encouragement to you… it’s not the end of your story! 

§  Third, resisting temptation is an active decision. Joseph both verbally and physically resisted the temptation. All too often we fall into the trap of sin simply because we don’t fight for obedience. Loyalty is not passive.

§  Fourth, sin is sin common wisdom. We regardless of cannot find excuse for our sin in the acceptance of it within our culture. Joseph understood what God’s expectations were and that was his guide.

§  Fifth, we are blessed in every circumstance by God. The incident with Potiphar’s wife is bookended by two passages that speak of God’s love and blessing to Joseph. Joseph found favor in the eyes of the Egyptians among whom he lived and rose to a position of prominence in the house of Potiphar (vv. 1-6). Joseph’s success and position was the direct result of God’s blessing (vv. 2-3). When Joseph was wrongly accused and sent to prison, God remained faithful (vv 22-23).

 

In all things God is faithful. Trust in Him regardless of your circumstance!

  

Faith in Troubled Times (Pt. 5)

 

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. (Genesis 39:1-6 ESV).

 

Well, our look at the life of Joseph so far has taken some unexpected turns. All of Genesis demonstrates that with Abraham and Isaac, as well as with Jacob and his twelve sons, God began fulfilling His promise to use the woman’s seed to defeat Satan (cf. Genesis 3:15). Up to this point, Jacob’s sons have not exactly shown themselves to be paragons of righteousness. Yet in Christ these men (along with all other believers) make up the seed of the woman (cf. Romans 16:20). Returning to the focus in Joseph’s life we can see important our reading is in our journey.

 

Jacob’s favorite son, betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers (cf. 37:12–36), is now a servant in Potiphar’s house (v. 1). However, Joseph’s situation is not as bad as it seems. At first, Jacob’s son is only a menial slave for Pharaoh’s captain of the guard, but soon he is given a more respectable status as an indoor servant (v. 2), before becoming Potiphar’s personal attendant (v. 4). This is a position of great honor and indicates a close, personal relationship between the two men. The Hebrew root (sharat) used for Joseph’s position is the same one used for Joshua’s relationship to Moses (cf. Exodus 24:13). Joseph is so beloved and trustworthy that he is left in charge of all of Potiphar’s financial matters so that the captain need only worry himself with his personal affairs (v. 6). 

 

Joseph’s success is due wholly to the Lord’s presence with him, but we must not think he is a passive player in these events. Joseph has worked hard to achieve his position; this is clearly made plain in the original Hebrew text. Nevertheless, Joseph would not have gotten so far if God was absent from his life. So great is Joseph’s success that even his pagan master can see the blessing on his life (v. 3). Indeed, God has been good to Joseph in his travails. Matthew Henry comments: “Good men are the blessings of the places where they live.” Joseph, a good man, brought much blessing to Potiphar not only because the Lord was with him, but also because he was faithful and trustworthy. The old adage “bloom where you are planted” comes to mind. Often we find ourselves so caught up in our trial, we forget that God has directed us to this moment to flourish. Trust Him for that!

 

th in Troubled Times (Pt. 4)

 

About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again. (Genesis 38:24-26 ESV).

 

Remember when we began our journey through the life of Joseph I said the foundation of the story is the preeminence and sovereignty of God. The reading today is from a much larger portion of Scripture. I encourage you to read the whole chapter for context even though the center of the story is revealed in our reading. It concerns Tamar and Judah. Remember Judah was the most vehemently hateful of his brother, Joseph. From this story we see the greatness of the grace of God to forgive and restore even the greatest of sinners.

 

Here was a man so cold that he led his brothers to sell their brother into slavery (cf. Genesis 37: 25-28). On top of that, he ignored his daughter-in-law’s desperate plight (cf. Genesis 38: 11-14). However, God changed his heart, bringing him to repent over his neglect of Tamar (v. 26). Though he did evil like Simeon, Levi, and Reuben before him (34; 35:22), Judah’s repentance results finally in his restoration.

 

Tamar demonstrates the Lord’s grace a bit differently in depicting the great reward that comes to those who honor Him. This remarkable woman willingly left her pagan past to serve the one, true God and His people. When Abraham’s sons according to the flesh would not raise up children for him, ignoring the Lord’s promise, she showed herself to be Abraham’s daughter by faith when she risked her life to give heirs to Judah (cf. Genesis 38:1-26). Her faith, though not meritorious in itself, is crowned when the Lord makes her a matriarch of Israel. Tamar is as important to redemption as Isaac’s wife; like Rebekah, the younger of her twin sons is a key player in God’s plan to save His people (vv. 27–30). We understand this quite well today, for we know clearly that God used Judah and Tamar (through Perez) to bring the Messiah into the world (cf. Matthew 1:1-17). Judah is one of many figures in history who shows us that there are no sinners too wicked for God to redeem. It was God’s purpose and plan to use these means for the redemption of every believer through Jesus. Never give up in your struggle. Turn to your faith even in the most difficult of times.