Foreseeing...?

But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.           Gen. 45.7

These words carry the substance of great prophecy. Was Joseph in fact foreseeing the great deliverance of God’s people through the exodus from Egypt?

Another major theme that he hints at in these few, almost careless, words is the remnant. I’m not sure if this is the first mention, yet it is extremely potent.

Joseph sees clearly that it is by God’s plan that he is in Egypt. He also sees God’s plan embracing two specific events – the preservation of a remnant, and the occurrence of a great deliverance. We see, from a place of retrospection, the enormous significance of both these themes for the whole people of God, first the Israelites/ Jews and then the Christians.

I am in wonderment of the enormity of God and the intricacy of His design and its outworking. In what appears disastrous in some respects, God meant Joseph’s life and his varied experiences for good. I can see how this good was not simply for Joseph and his family but, indeed, for the whole of humanity.

Lord God,

You are truly wonderful beyond any comparison. I exalt and magnify You. I praise and worship You to the highest heavens.

I see, whether correctly or simply imaginatively, how Your plan for Joseph has had such a far reaching effect. I believe this is Your way. You work in each of us not only for our own good but also for the benefit of others.

I submit myself to the fullness of Your plan for me. I pray Your purpose is to touch and help many through Your working in my life. I surrender and give myself to Your way, in the glorious name of Jesus.                                                                                     Amen.

Forgiving... and remaining

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgives you.                     Eph. 4.32

We have been forgiven in Christ. This is the fundamental truth of Christian living. We are sinners who have been forgiven. And we are invited, nay exhorted, to follow Christ. We need to forgive, freely and without fear. Forgiveness frees us into the fullness of a life in Christ.

As I adopt a lifestyle of forgiveness and cultivate a forgiving nature (for I believe I can choose to do this) so other aspects of my nature will change and grow. I will find myself seeing others with the compassion of Christ (this might take time), and I can look more kindly on others (this will need practice). But I remember that all things are possible with God, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This surely is the key. I press in to Jesus. I seek and ask for His strengthening of me. I receive from Him. Indeed I look to be infilled with the fullness of His presence in me.

John reminds me of my interwoven-ness with Christ. He is the vine and I am a branch of the vine (John 15.5). He chose me (I get excited at this), and He appointed me to bear lasting fruit (John 15.6). If I remain in Him and He remains in me, I will bear much fruit. And, indeed, apart from Him I can do nothing (John 15.5).

I am aware, right now, that Jesus exhorts me to remain in Him first. His words are:

“If a man remains in me and I in him.” (John 15.5)

I do not wish to play semantics with this phrase, but it clearly indicates that as I remain in Him, He will remain in me. It looks like the choice is mine. Do I wish to seek Him out to remain in Him? Do I want to follow Him and allow Him to exercise full reign and control in my life? Do I truly mean it when I say ‘not my will but Yours, not what I want but what you want!’ Do I mean all in these things? You bet I do! And why? The answer is simply that I am nothing without Him. He is my all, my reason for living. Without Jesus I have no purpose in life. I might as well be dead, and this is horrific to me, for I don’t want to be dead and without Jesus. No, living without Christ is not an option. I will live with Him, for Him and in Him. And with Him living in me.

This is also a state of being. Like so many other mortals I have, for a long time, been fixated with a state of doing. And God has made it so clear to me that He wants me to ‘be’ before I do anything. As ‘I am’ then He will occasion the doing. I can only truly be when I am in Him, and he is fully in me.

Lord, Mighty God,

I come to You in all the fullness of surrender that I can muster. You are everything to me and I lay myself humbly and expectantly at Your feet. I glorify You this day. I rejoice in the sunshine that is without and the revelation that is within.

And what is this revelation? I think it’s the wonder of the true realisation that I am your child. I am Yours! I shout with joy in my total release of myself to You. Take me, my God, and let me be, let me truly be – a living, vibrant, true, real, and effective witness for Jesus.

I am the branch that is grafted firmly into the vine. I seek the life-giving force, the Spirit infilling that comes from the Jesus vine. Feed me, nurture me, grow me.

There may be a price to pay. Make me willing, Lord. In Your holy power change me, and use me if You choose. I ask all these things, believing, in Jesus’ Name.                                  Amen.

A Life Shepherd

Then he blessed Joseph and said,

“May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

the Angel who has delivered me from all harm – may he bless these boys.”   

Gen. 48.15, 16a

These words of Jacob in blessing Joseph’s sons Manasseh and Ephraim, remind me of the faithfulness of God.

Jacob has had a varied life, journeying from the deceitful man whole stole his brother’s inheritance and blessing to the patriarch who truly sired the tribes of Israel. Jacob’s journey was a mixed one yet God was his shepherd throughout the whole of his life, delivering him from all harm.

This does not testify to any merit on Jacob’s part, but fully accords to the faithfulness of God.

Faithfulness is one of God’s attributes. It is who He is. God will be faithful because He will be. It’s just that way and there’s no changing it. Nothing I do can warrant or prompt God’s faithfulness. And I can do nothing to stop it! This glorious unchanging quality, one of many in our wonderful God, stands out to remarkable effect in such a fickle, changing world as is today. I both salute and embrace God’s faithfulness.

Lord God,

I join with the hymnist and proclaim “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. I rejoice for all those who have experienced the faithfulness of Almighty God. I thank You for the faithfulness that is there for me.

Every promise You have given me will come to pass, because You are faithful. I salute You, great God. I claim the promises and I wait upon You. I go forward into this day with You, knowing that Your faithfulness will sustain me. Hallelujah! Praise Your Name!          Amen.

Miraculous Signs

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.           John 2.23

Jesus performed many miracles. Some of them brought healing and release to people, with ensuing personal benefit and gain. This is commendable, and most fortunate for the beneficiaries, but it was not the prime motive for these miraculous actions.

John refers to the miracles Jesus performed as “signs”. This word emphasises the significance of the action rather than the resulting marvel and the person it is enacted upon. The miracle is indeed a sign – to God’s power and to the glory of God that is manifest in Jesus Christ.

Through the ages there have been miracles of various kinds. In the twentieth century we have seen several powerful healing ministries (e.g. Smith Wigglesworth). In each and every case the miracle work needs to be acknowledged as a demonstration of the power and the glory of God. To God be the glory – all of it!

Lord God,

I thank You for miracles. I thank You for the wonders that Jesus wrought, and the people who came to You as a result.

I thank You for Your miracle working through the ages in mankind and in nature, demonstrating Your power and Your glory. I thank You for the people who have come into relationship with You.

Miracles are demonstrations of Your power and glory. I pray that we might see many such demonstrations, each one turning the lost to You, releasing Your power, and bringing glory to You. Hallelujah!                                                                                                               Amen.

Only what is given

To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.”                                John 3.27

John the Baptist’s disciples were somewhat envious of the success they considered Jesus was enjoying. They complained to John, whom they loved.

Whilst John’s answer most certainly applies to himself, it also has meaning for everyone. John ably worked with what God had given him and he looked for no more. He knew he was the forerunner. His was not the role of the Messiah.

Jesus received what had been given to Him from heaven and He fulfilled His purpose in every respect. He lived to do the will of the Father.

I have been given salvation by a great and loving God. My gratitude is offered in constant prayer. I believe I have been called for a purpose but I can only live and work with what is given to me from heaven. I believe I can ask, but I am not assured of receiving everything that I ask for. This is God’s domain. My task is to take what I am given, to gratefully receive it and to run with it. Praise God!

Lord God,

Thank You for the gift of salvation. I receive it and I rejoice. Thank You for the life You have given me. I haven’t always done the right thing and I’m sorry, but You are faithful. You have not left me. Your hand is on me. I thank You.

Thank You for the many gifts You have given me and the opportunities You have opened up for me. My desire is to work for You. I think You know this. I ask for enabling and for opportunities. I long to be active for You. Yet I will receive only what is given to me from heaven. May Your will be done in all of my life, in Jesus’ Name I pray.                          Amen.