Verse of the Day 1/23

Through the Bible - Exodus 5-6, Matthew 17

 

Good morning,

Today's devotional is dedicated to a friend Matt who asked about hope.

 

Having just come through the Christmas season several of the Christmas carols that we sing speak of the hope that Jesus Christ would bring.  The first that comes to my mind is in "O Little Town of Bethlehem" where we sing"the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight". 

 

Chuck Colson was quoted at the beginning of Stephen Curtis Chapman's song "Heaven in the Real World" saying, "Where is the hope? I meet millions of people who feel demoralized by the decay around us. The hope that each of us has is not in who governs us, or what laws we pass, or what great things we do as a nation. Our hope is in the power of God working through the hearts of people. And that's where our hope is in this country. And that's where our hope is in life."

 

Faith and hope are intertwined, and the most important part of both of them is what or whom is that faith and trust placed. 

 

John Piper made the two following statements about faith. "Faith is living in a hope that it is so real that it gives absolute assurance.  Faith is the present essence of a future reality."

 

Hebrews chapter 11, the "Hall of Faith" one of the most precious chapters in the Bible to me personally,  begins with:

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.   NKJV
Think of that for a moment, faith is the substance.  It is not something dreamy or whispy, when it is placed in Jesus, in God, it is rock solid.

 

Looking back through the Bible and having just finished reading through Genesis the other day we have seen several Bible characters who held onto faith in hope as outlined in Hebrews 11.  One that stands out in my mind is Joseph.  Think of all that he went through. 

 

"And what was Joseph's reward? He was lied about by Potiphar's wife, and the cupbearer of Pharaoh, whose dream Joseph interpreted, thanklessly forgot about him in prison for two years after the dreams. So the point of all this is not just that there is sin and suffering and that God is at work in it to save his people. More specifically, the point is that the righteous one, even though mistreated for so long, is finally vindicated by God. Even though others have rejected this righteous stone, God makes him the cornerstone (Matthew 21:42). His vindication becomes the very means of the salvation of his persecutors. "

 

In today's verse Joseph looks back over his life and it all comes together.

Gen 50:19 Joseph said to them,"Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.    NKJV

There must have been times in his life when he must have asked God "why"?  But as he saw God at work in his life he probably asked more often "what", OK Lord, what are you up to now.

 

Joseph lived by faith, it was the substance of the things he hoped for.

 "Things hoped for," in general, are things good, promised, future, expected on unfailing grounds. The things, therefore, here intended as "hoped for," are all the things that are divinely promised unto them that believe, — all things of present grace and future glory. For even the things of present grace are the objects of hope" - John Owen.

 

Joseph persevered in hope and in faith.  He saw his dreams realized.  He lived to see his father and the restoration of his family.  God truly did amazing things through him and for him, because he continued to believe in hope, in God.

 

In Christ,

Mike

 

Gen 50:15-22

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him." 16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants."

19 Joseph said to them,"Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

NKJV