It’s Your Time

It’s Your Time

Genesis 41: ¹⁴ Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. ¹⁵ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”

 

¹⁶ So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

 

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Pharoah heard about Joseph from the butler who was imprisoned with Joseph two years prior. Pharoah was eager to hear the interpretation of his dream so they rushed Joseph out of the dungeon. He shaved for the first time in years and put on a new set of clothes. Joseph told Pharoah that GOD would give an answer of peace.

 

My Observations:

• Joseph probably had given up on the thought that he would be free.
• Joseph struggled with being in prison due to his innocence.
• GOD had a timing for Joseph to be freed and HE used an unconventional person who did not worship HIM to free Joseph.

 

Egyptian Pharaohs were so powerful that they were worshipped as gods. They bowed to no one, rather all were to bow to them. GOD used this arrogance for HIS purpose. HE used Pharaoh’s abuse of power to work through the butler to bring Joseph to Pharaoh.

 

I believe the butler supernaturally forgot Joseph and was reminded on Pharaoh’s birthday that Joseph could interpret dreams. This was the beginning of the rise of Joseph part two. Joseph gave credit to GOD regarding interpretations of dreams. Little did Joseph know that GOD was about to put him in charge to make a way for HIS covenant to be fulfilled.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about the actions of Pharaoh and Joseph?
• Can your time look different than you expect?
• Is GOD preparing you to act as HIS ambassador and are you crediting HIM for where you are and what you are doing?

Switched Focus

Switched Focus

Genesis 18: ⁹ Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

 

So he said, “Here, in the tent.”

 

¹⁰ And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

 

(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. ¹² Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

 

¹³ And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

 

¹⁵ But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.

And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”

 

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Up to this point everything was about Abraham. GOD spoke to him directly and told him to leave his father’s house and go to a place where I will show you. Abraham immediately obeyed. GOD then spoke to Abraham a few more times. But this time was different. JESUS and the angels asked together, “Where is Sarah your wife/”

 

My Observations:

• Sarah had faith to go with Abraham to a place GOD told him to go, but she was not told by GOD.
• Sarah had faith to maintain the cattle and the property while Abraham went to rescue Lot and Sodom’s stuff.
• Sarah’s laughter was filled with mixed emotions possibly because up to this point it had been all about Abraham.

 

“Where is Sarah your wife” seems to be a question to Abraham that she should have been present at the dinner. GOD knew where she was physically. But why isn’t she here? Over the years, Abraham may have expressed “his” relationship with GOD, but did not express hers. Abraham had left out the most important component to the promise, namely his wife.

 

Sarah laughed inside herself when she overheard the news for herself. BUT GOD heard the laughter. I believe HE wasn’t scolding her when HE said “No, but you did laugh!”, rather HE was bringing her into the spotlight by speaking to both Abraham and Sarah. The focus was no longer only on Abraham, but on both of them. GOD would return "at the appointed time."

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD ask Abraham about Sarah’s laughter when providing this conversation to Moses?
• Have you ever felt left out of the promises of GOD while HE uses other people?
• Can you believe that GOD sees you and has a special part of HIS plan specifically for you?