Genesis 39:3-4 ( NKJV )
And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
(Sorry, but no post for yesterday. No excuses, the day just got away from me.)
This week we have been talking about the value of a surrendered life. Not a life surrendered to circumstances but a life surrendered to God. When we truly surrender control to Him we actually find ourselves in control of the circumstances that would otherwise overcome us. We looked at Abraham, who obeyed God when he didn’t know the full outcome. We looked at Jesus who, in Gethsemane had to surrender to God when he could do nothing in himself. He closed the back door of temptation by declaring that the Father’s will was paramount not His own. Finally we have been looking at Joseph who found himself in an impossible situation but chose to actively surrender to the will of God rather than give in to discouragement or anger.
I want to close this week by taking a closer look at Joseph and see how his surrender to God actually worked in his life. Our guest speaker this week, Sister Sharon Cranford, used a phrase that I find very descriptive of what Joseph did. He embraced the present. Whatever situation he found himself in he embraced it, applied himself within it and ended up victorious.
As a pastor for more than 30 years, I find that most people are defeated in life and their Christian walk by two things. The past and the future. Focusing on either will keep us from hearing God today. If we can’t hear Him we can’t obey. If we do not obey we will miss the opportunities that the present will provide us. I can imagine that Joseph could have given in to this trap.
Joseph had much to long for in the past. He also had a grudge that he could have focused on. He had a good life. He was loved by his father. His brothers, however hated him and sold him into slavery. He had the two most common reasons to lose his future in the past. He could have spent his days wishing he was still in his father’s house. He could have wallowed in regret over what he had lost. He could also have slipped into depression over the rejection suffered at the hands of his brothers. He could have given into the bitterness that a lack of forgiveness always brings into our lives. Either would have caused him to miss what God had for his present which would have led to his never fulfilling his future destiny.
On the other hand he could have focused on the future with the same results. He could have spent every day hoping for his father to come and rescue him. He could have given into despair with the thought that nothing would ever change. The words "always” and “never” are lies the devil uses to cripple us in the present. “I will always be this way” and “things will never change” are common thoughts when we are in difficulties. Both are impossible. One thing that really is always true is that things will change. You will change. Don’t buy into the lie.
Joseph did not focus on the past and he did not focus on the future. He didn’t forget his family and he expected good things for his future, but he embraced the present. That’s all he had. That’s all you have. Listen to the words of Jesus.
Matthew 6:34 ( NKJV )
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
If we learn to pay attention to the present we can be victorious. Your life is what it is. You can’t change it by wishing for yesterday and you can’t overcome by hoping tomorrow will be better. Joseph saw his circumstance and made the best of it. He worked hard where he was and ended up as the head in every situation. When he was a slave, he became the chief slave and ran the household. When he found himself in prison because of false accusation he worked hard where he was and became the literal ruler of the prison. Eventually his wisdom and diligence caused him to become the most powerful man in Egypt next to the pharaoh. This put him into position to save his family which was God’s purpose for his life all along.
What does your today look like. Is it less than you had hoped it would be? Is it better? Has life given you a hard road to travel? Are you looking to tomorrow in the vain hope it may somehow get better? None of that will be productive. This is the day you have. “This is the day the lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Find out what God wants for your today. Apply yourself to that and you will see that the future will come and, because you found the will of God today, tomorrow will be what God needs it to be for you to fulfill your true destiny in Him.
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