Reading the Bible can be like a wonderful scavenger hunt. This provides priceless treasures found no other place. That is what I love about reading God's Word! But yes, it is for me to obey, not pick and choose what I want.
I was reading in Genesis about Joseph, and how many times "the Lord was with him" was mentioned. What an amazing thing to say about someone. The Lord prospered him. Whatever he did was successful! But, he suffered in the meantime, before he was great in the eyes of Pharaoh. In spite of Joseph's faithfulness in his walk with God, we never read, The God of Joseph. No that title belonged to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were the fathers of the Israelites.
So why is this a scavanger "gem" to me? Well, as I was looking at this and the phrase "the Lord was with him" was repeated several times, I wondered if those around me see that the Lord is with me? What imprint do I leave? When I'm having a rough day, do others see that God is with me? Oh it may be easy to throw out joy and happiness when things are going good. People saw Joseph was "different" in the midst of his suffering.
Joseph was hated by his brothers, taken from his father, sold as a slave to a foreign country, falsely accused, thrown in prison, and forgotten in prison!! And we think we are having a "bad hair day"? In all these things, "the Lord was with him."
God was using Joseph to save a whole nation, the nation of Israel!! The bottom line is, we do not know what God has in store for us to do. But what we do know is that God needs our obedience so that we can qualify for whatever He calls us to do. Psalm 63:8 "My soul follows close behind you; Your right hand upholds me."
God has a plan for each of us. Where He guides, He will provide. What does He provide? Joy, peace, sleep at night, physical needs, strength, His spirit...and the list goes on. We may not be a "Joseph" but we can be His Light in this troubled world. Let the world see that "the Lord is with you."
God bless you.
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