January 15
Genesis 40:1-23, 35:28-29; 41:1-57
How do we respond when we are called by God? Do we point to someone else and say to use them? Do we doubt our own abilities more than we trust in God's abilities? We read in Isaiah 6:8, "Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”" Oswald Chambers said "Whether I hear God's call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends on my spiritual attitude. God does not force his will on Isaiah. Isaiah was in the presence of God, and his response in complete freedom, could only be to say, "Here am! Send me." If we allow the Holy Spirit to bring us face to face with God, we too will hear what Isaiah heard - "the voice of the Lord". In perfect freedom we too will say, "Here am I! Send me."" We tend to mistakenly think that people like Joseph and the prophets were constantly hearing from God. But God's messages, dreams, and visions often came with long gaps between them. God sends opportunities our way, but do we miss them? Do we frustratingly wonder why God's timing is not the same as our own timing? Are we unprepared, because rather than waiting for His will, are we trying too hard to force our own will?
We read in Genesis 37:2 that Joseph was 17 years old when he first received his dreams. We read in 41:46 that he was 30 years old when he became second in command in Egypt. For thirteen long years, Joseph spent his time as a slave and a prisoner, due to situations brought upon him unjustly by others. Joseph could have become bitter. He could have abandoned all hope during those 13 long years. Imagine Joseph's frustration after the opportunity to interpret the cup-bearer’s dreams, with the simple request to tell Pharaoh upon his release, yet two more long years in prison. But not Joseph. Despite his circumstances, he remained ready as God's servant. When Joseph noticed the two new prisoners looked upset, we see Joseph initiate the interaction in 40:7-8, "Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them. And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.” Joseph wasn't acting in his own confidence, but his response was based on his confidence in God. Though Joseph was others-centered, the cup-bearer, like most people was self-centered, as we read in 40:23, " Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought." Two years later, after two troubling dreams, Joseph, the prisoner finds himself before the world's most powerful man, Pharaoh. Joseph does not point to himself as many would, but we see his response giving glory to God in 41:16, " “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” Filled with the Holy Spirit, after the interpretation he then counsels Pharaoh on what action steps were necessary to survive the coming famine. Notice Pharaoh 's conclusion about Joseph as he elevates him to second in command, as we read in 41:38, "So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?”"
In these tumultuous times, with so much discouragement, the opportunities to step out in the name of God is vast. Joseph never saw the magnitude of Pharaoh, but instead stepped out in faith because he saw the magnitude of His God. When David confronted the giant, Goliath, he also failed to notice the enormous size of the giant due to the magnitude of His God. God is real and ready to use willing vessels. He doesn't need our skills, our intellect, etc. If God can use a donkey (Numbers 22), then He can use us. We read in Philippians 2:3-4, "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." If we focus too much on our problems, our inadequacies, etc. we are rendering ourselves useless. May we stop looking inward, and instead seek whom we might be able to bless by looking outward. Then when the opportunity arises, and it will, may we then look upwards and allow God to act in us, His imperfect, but willing vessels. We praise you God, for your patience, mercy, and grace, that despite who we are, you still love us and use us.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: