It's Not Fair!

"So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt."  Genesis 37:28

"Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard."  Genesis 37:36

Life is not fair.  It never has been.  We are not all born on equal footing.  Some people seem to get one bum rap after another while others receive advantage after advantage.  It is difficult to deal emotionally with unfair treatment.  Joseph might well be the poster boy for how to deal with one set of unfair circumstances after another.  If ever anybody made lemonade with the lemons life handed him, it was Joseph.

Joseph's daddy sent Joseph to check on his brothers who had gone to Shechem to find good grazing for their sheep.  When Joseph's brothers saw him approaching, they decided to kill him.  Genesis 37:19-20 says,  "'Here comes that dreamer,' they said to each other.  'Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of those cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him.  Then we'll see what comes of his dreams.'"  Reuben persuaded the others not to kill Joseph but to throw him into the cistern alive.  Reuben planned to rescue Joseph later and take him back home.

While the brothers were eating lunch, a caravan of Ishmaelites came by on their way to Egypt.  This caravan didn't just happen along by coincidence.  In hindsight we can see that it was an integral part of God's plan for Joseph and the Israelites, but at the time it must have seemed like an instrument for unfair treatment to Joseph.  Joseph's brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites, who took the seventeen year old boy to Egypt, a foreign country with a different language and unfamiliar customs.  This lad, who was the beloved of his father, was sold as a slave.

How do you think you would feel if you had brothers who hated you enough to plan to kill you?  How do you imagine you would react if you were unjustly taken from your family and all that was familiar and dear to you and became a slave in a foreign land?  How do you usually react when you are treated unfairly?  Do you know how Joseph reacted?

Father, life is not fair, but You are just.  We can trust You despite any circumstances in which we may find ourselves.  May our faith in You and in Your plans for our lives remain strong and steadfast.  Amen.

The Resurrection

"On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen!'"  Luke 24:1-6a

There were several proofs of Jesus' divinity, such as His virgin birth, fulfilled prophecy, His sinless life, His amazing words, His miracles, God's words of approval, and Jesus' transfiguration.  But Jesus' most important credential was His resurrection.

Jesus' enemies took great care trying to prevent anyone from stealing Jesus' body and claiming that He was resurrected.  The tomb was sealed, and a guard was posted.  However, when the women went to anoint Jesus' body on the third day of his death, the tomb was empty.

People have tried to explain away the resurrection, but the resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the empty tomb.  Some people have said that the women went to the wrong tomb, but they had watched carefully where Jesus' body was laid with the intention of returning as soon as the Sabbath was over.  Besides, the tomb was not literally empty.  Left behind were the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head lying by itself and the strips of linen that had been wrapped around His body, lying like a cocoon after the butterfly had emerged.

Some people theorized that Jesus really didn't die but revived in the tomb and escaped.  Here was a man who had been beaten so badly that someone else had to carry His cross.  He was put to death by professional executioners.  He was wrapped in grave clothes which had been packed with probably 75 to 100 pounds of spices.  He was laid in a solid rock tomb, and the entrance was covered with a stone that engineers estimate weighed a minimum of 1 1/2 to 2 tons.  A Roman guard unit was stationed outside the tomb.  It is impossible to believe that Jesus could have revived, torn off His linen wrappings, pushed aside that enormous stone, overpowered all the Roman guards single-handed, and escaped.

Besides, the resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, the transformation of the disciples, the founding of the church, and the fact that He is still changing lives today.  He is risen!  He is risen indeed.

Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross.  Heavenly Father, thank You for the resurrection.  Amen.

The Problem of Pain

"He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering and familiar with pain."  Isaiah 53:3a

"They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.  And they began to call out to him,  'Hail, king of the Jews!'  Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.  Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him.  They they led him out to crucify him."  Mark 15:17-20.

Why does a good and loving God allow us to have suffering and pain in this world?  This is an age old dilemma.  There are several reasons.  For one, He uses these things to test us, to show us where we are in our spiritual walk.  Also, if everything was always well in our world, we would become proud and self-sufficient and would not seek God.  Hard times humble us and press us close to our Heavenly Father.  There are lessons we learn in tough times that we would never consider when things are going our way.  Sometimes God uses difficulties to redirect our steps, to turn us in a more desirable direction.  Hard times are a background that showcase the depth of our faith for others to see and, hopefully, be drawn to God.  Romans 8:3 gives us another reason why God allows suffering.  This verse says,  "...we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Recently I have seen another reason why God allows people to suffer.  If we had never felt suffering and pain and sorrow and humiliation and isolation, we would never be able to understand or appreciate what Jesus experienced on the cross on our behalf.  We can begin to identify with His pain and grief when we have experienced pain and grief ourselves.  When we can relate to His suffering, it helps us realize what a terribly high price our sin cost Jesus and how very much God loves us.

Father, Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross--for forgiveness and mercy which were made possible by Your suffering and grief.  May we always appreciate and be thankful for what You have done for us.  Amen.  

Bad Attitudes Lead to Wrong Actions

"When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him."  Genesis 37:4

In the story of Joseph we see the undesirable characteristic of favoritism, which had been passed down in his family from one generation to another.  Isaac was partial to his son Esau, while his wife Rebekah loved their son Jacob more.  Rachel was Jacob's favorite wife, and Joseph, her first born, was obviously Jacob's favorite son.

For parents of more than one child, it is quite easy to imagine the sibling rivalry which would take place among twelve brothers.   Boys are so competitive anyway, and apparently they all vied for their father's attention and approval.  Joseph's brothers hated Joseph because Jacob so openly favored him and gave him, and him alone, a special coat as a symbol of his affection.  Favoritism led to jealousy, and jealousy led to hatred.

Joseph wasn't very tactful in his dealings with his brothers.  He gave his father a bad report about his siblings, and no doubt they considered him a tattle tale.  Then Joseph had two dreams which he told his brothers.  He might have done better to keep those dreams to himself, because they only fanned the flames of jealousy and hatred.  In the first dream all the brothers were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when Joseph's sheaf stood up and his brothers' sheaves bowed down to his sheaf.  In the second dream the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to Joseph.

Such attitudes as favoritism, jealousy, and hatred are not only disruptive in family relationships, but they are displeasing to God.  Bad attitudes can result in wrong actions with far reaching consequences, and we will see this happen in Joseph's family.  Our actions begin in our thought lives and in the attitudes of our hearts. Ephesians 4:31 warns us to "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."  And Hebrews 12:15 underlines those thoughts by saying, "See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."  Are there any weeds of bitterness you need to pluck out of your thoughts and heart today?  

Father, in the words of Psalms 19:14,  "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."  Amen.

Reconciliation

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land."  Genesis 28:15a

When Jacob fled from his brother Esau, God made a promise to guard him and bring him back to his home.  God kept that promise.  Jacob and his family had started back to the land of Canaan, and Genesis 32:1 tells us,  "Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him."  God has also promised never to leave us nor forsake us but to be with us and watch over us wherever we go as well, and we can believe and count on His promise as Jacob did.

Jacob had left home because his brother Esau was so angry with him that he threatened to kill him.  There had been no communication between the brothers all the years that Jacob had been gone, and Jacob didn't know if Esau was still angry. Jacob wanted his brother's forgiveness, and he sent gifts of livestock to Esau by way of making amends for deceiving him.  When we have wronged someone, we need to express one of the hardest things for us to say in the English language, "I'm sorry."  When Jacob approached his brother, he bowed down seven times before Esau to show how sorry he was.

The next scene in the story depicts a beautiful picture of forgiveness and reconciliation.  Genesis 33:4 says,  "But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.  And they wept."  Is there anyone with whom you need to be reconciled?  Do you, like Jacob, need to show that you are sorry for doing something you shouldn't have done?  Or do you, like Esau, need to forgive someone who has wronged you?  Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts you can give another person--and yourself.  

Father, thank You for forgiving all our sins.  May we apologize if we have wronged anyone else, and may we forgive anyone who has  wronged us. Amen.  

Jacob Goes Home

"The Lord said to Jacob, 'Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.'"  Genesis 31:3

After Joseph was born, Jacob discussed returning to his homeland with his father-in-law, Laban.  Laban realized that God had blessed him because of Jacob, and he didn't want Jacob to leave nor to take part of their sheep and goats with him.  Neither did Laban want Jacob to take his daughters and his grandchildren to a land five hundred miles away.  Jacob agreed to stay and work for Laban awhile longer.  Then Laban kept changing Jacob's wages, which were in livestock.  Laban was trying to gain an unfair advantage over Jacob, but God caused Jacob's flocks to multiply and prosper.

The atmosphere in the family began to change.  Laban's sons were saying,  "Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all his wealth from what belonged to our father."  Genesis 31:1b. Then Jacob noticed that there was a difference in Laban's attitude toward him.  Next Jacob received a word from God telling him to go back to the land where his family lived.  Jacob was observant of the circumstances and obedient to God's instructions.  While Laban was away shearing his sheep, Jacob, his family, and their flocks started on their journey.  When Laban returned and discovered that Jacob and his family were gone, he pursued them.  He caught up with them on the seventh day, but before he did God warned him not to try to prevent Jacob from returning to his homeland.  God was protecting His plan and His servant.  God had very specific plans for Jacob and his descendants, and a part of these plans included Jacob's return to the land of Canaan.  God worked in Jacob's circumstances, and He sent Jacob a personal message to be sure Jacob would fulfill his role in God's plans.

God often deals with us likewise.  He has very specific plans for each of our lives.  Often He guides us through circumstances, as He did Jacob.  And He sends us messages through His Word and through such channels as sermons, devotionals, and conversations with other people.  Are we watching and listening and obeying?

Father, thank You that You are willing to guide us on the paths You have chosen for each of us.  May we be aware of the ways You are guiding and be obedient to follow Your lead.  Amen.   

The Law of the Harvest

"Do not be deceived: God cannot  be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows."  Galatians 6:7

We often see certain habits and character traits being passed down in a family, from one generation to another.  As many admirable characteristics as Abraham had, he had one that is not to be admired.  Twice he lied about his relationship with his wife Sarah to protect himself.  He said that she was his sister rather than his wife.  She actually was his half-sister, but a half truth is still a lie.

Isaac's wife, Rebekah, and Isaac's son, Jacob, collaborated to deceive the old man, and Jacob received the blessing that ordinarily would have belonged to Esau.  Jacob fled from his angry brother and walked 500 miles to Haran, the town where Rebekah's relatives lived.  He moved in with his uncle Laban and fell in love with Laban's daughter Rachel.  Jacob offered to work for seven years if Laban would allow him to marry Rebekah, and Laban agreed to the deal.  But the deceiver, Jacob, was deceived by his wily uncle.  Jacob actually married Rachel's older sister, Leah, who must have been heavily veiled at the ceremony.  We see poetic justice in the way Laban treated Jacob.  God often punishes us in a way that is especially appropriate for whatever sin we have committed.  Warren Wiersbe wrote,  "The man who deceived his father was deceived by his father-in-law, and the man who passed himself off as the first-born son now receives Laban's first-born daughter to be his wife.  It's an inescapable law of life that we eventually reap what we sow."

     Leah, who had been a party to deceiving her sister, was never loved by Jacob as much as he loved Rachel, and this was always a source of sorrow for her.

     Think about your family--your children and, if you have any, your grandchildren and great grandchildren.  What characteristics would you like to pass down to them?  Are you living in such a way that you will be pleased if  they learn from you and imitate your attitudes and actions?

Father, may we model for our family and friends what is means to be Christlike.  When we reap what we have sown through the years, may we have a godly harvest.  Amen.