The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Genesis 37:5-7,
“Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, ‘Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.’”
Joseph began having dreams given to him that were prophetic. Another dream he had was the sun, moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. As we continue the story of Joseph we find these dreams come true as the Lord brings things about where Jacob and his household have to go to Joseph for sustenance during a severe famine after Joseph becomes a high ranking official in Egypt.
I note that it was following Joseph’s prophetic dreams that he began experiencing tremendous trials in his life. In this chapter we read of Joseph’s brothers planning to murder him and then settling for throwing him in a cistern and then selling him as a slave to Ishmaelites.
I also note that there is the notion in the church today that when we submit our lives to God, have great faith, keep from sin and live in harmony with biblical principles God will keep us from troubles. This doesn’t seem to be the case for Joseph. As I think of it, neither does it seem to have been David’s experience (long before his sin with Bathsheba) or the experience of many of the prophets in the Scriptures, Job or others. Neither John the Baptist, Paul, Stephen nor many of the other folks we read of in our New Testament. Just the opposite - people’s problems seem to begin when God becomes a big part of their lives.
I suspect that is because we live in a world that is hostile toward God and resistant to his agenda and purposes. Certainly God’s agenda and purposes are at odds with the world’s agenda. Where God moves, it often has the effect of upsetting things here in this world – and for good reason! How astonishing, however, the things are that God brings about when he moves! Certainly we see this in Joseph’s life!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!
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