Delayed again. This time it's the Church meeting's fault though so it's in some way acceptable to me. And I said that the best time to check for an update is half midnight the next day anyway! But seriously, I'll be updating regularly every day this week, except this one. And also I've shaved tonight so I'm slightly light of head. Currently rocking a dodgy pseudo intellectual chin beard which might come off tomorrow in the cold light of day. Onto business then
Today’s readings:
Genesis 40:1-41:40
Matthew 14:1-21
Proverbs 2:12-22
Check out the clickable Bible references! Now there's no excuse not to read the Bible bit first. And DO read it please. I'd be terrified if I was the only interpretation you were getting on such a complex bit of reading.
We start off today with Joseph and I think it can be quite easy to think of Joseph as his brothers thought of him. Maybe not with jealousy but certainly he seems extra special. However, verse 8 and then verse 16 of chapter 41 sum up Joseph to me. He realises that the cupbearer and baker have a problem with their dreams and even though he's had a previous gifting in interpretation he also realises that this was only through God's grace. So he puts himself out there to try and interpret them but places the responsibility for getting the meaning squarely on God's shoulders. If we have spiritual gifts then we must always remember that they're given and dependent on God and we shouldn't put our trust in our abilities but rather the God who gives them to us. Also we shouldn't be afraid of using them because of what we might fear the outcome to be. Joseph couldn't have relished the opportunity to tell the baker he was being impaled and eaten by birds but he did it because God had laid that message on his heart. If he hadn't then maybe the cupbearer wouldn't have remembered him later.
And Joseph is just as humble with Pharaoh. He did spruce up a bit first before meeting him but even though he was in front of such an intimidating figure, he spoke up for his gift being from God. Now let's put this into perspective for a second. Pharaoh believed he was a god himself. So for Joseph to be saying that God had power over Pharaoh's dreams was a pretty dangerous thing to say. And again we see Joseph's humility in outlaying the entire strategy given to him by God and then saying someone else should implement it. But what's really the kicker for me is how Pharaoh in verse 38 of chapter 41 sees Joseph as the right man because of the spirit of God being in him, no other skills or talents. So Joseph has been blessed solely for his reliance and humility before God. Folks, there are things that we need. I'd quite like a job personally. But if we want these things then the message is clear. We'll be blessed thanks to our devotion to God's will and His way, not through our own struggling and striving. If we do everything with God first and remembering He has given us these abilities then He will do all the more back for us.
Into the New Testament we galavant. Today's passage shows a real journey to me and a true insight into the human side of Jesus. His cousin and one of his best friends, John, is beheaded because of a drunken man's infatuation with his daughter in law. We're back to scary Old Testament relationships it seems! But John's death is a real blow to Jesus and understandably so. I love Jesus' reaction. He wants to be left alone. I think we think of Jesus so often as someone that is there for us now and was there for people then that we forget how human He was. This man needed time to grieve and be left alone with God. Often my first reaction to troubling situations is to hole up on my own somewhere for a bit and this is such a heartening message to me that it's ok to need a bit of time to yourself. But the real important part is what happens next. Jesus would have every right to wallow for a bit and we see in the Old Testament already how people made a very public showing of their grief. But Jesus shows us that mourning is a natural process but you always have to be ready for what God is going to throw at you. Even in His sorrow, Jesus finds time to minister to people that need Him. I think sometimes we miss out on God healing us by not letting Him move us to help others. There have been times when I've felt rotten about my life and what has got me through is by interacting with other people rather than going it alone. I think this is a definite message here that God's work never stops and He knows how to help us through the emotionally tough times as well as the practically tough times and if we're truly reliant and dedicated to His desires then we'll fight through the hurt and be blessed in the end.
I would talk about the feeding of the 5000 but it's going to pop up three more times this year so we'll leave it for today.
Finally we get back into Proverbs. Just to say that the link I posted groups verses 9-15 together so you should start reading at "They'll keep you from making wrong turns or following bad directions." This continues our previous reading on how wisdom and knowledge and truth are revealed to us through dedication to God's ways. One thing that strikes me is that the Bible isn't naieve. The Bible is well aware that one of the main things humanity struggles with is sex. There are so many issues that go with sex and the Bible isn't shy to use it as the primary temptation for a lot of its examples. Here Proverbs continues by telling us how we can further see God's true knowledge and wisdom by checking the company we keep. Now I don't think this is telling us we shouldn't be friends with people who aren't Christian but it is saying it's important to be supported by people who believe the same as you. So much of today's world is telling us how we should be wanting things and people more and more for ourselves or how bad everything is and there's nothing we can do about it. What the proverb today seems to be saying is that by spending time with God's people, you'll be getting closer to God. Sorry to waffle on about me but I can attest to this being very true. At university I lost my faith and one of the key reasons for this was not having any real Christian support or challenge for four years. It was only when I came back to the church that I realised Jesus had been waiting for me all that time.
So today's passages all seem linked to me quite clearly. We're being told that it is our job to do God's work. But that we will be best doing that work by focusing on God. It will come at weird times and it will require the right support and giftings but if we focus our hearts on God's message then those opportunities and times will result in blessings to ourselves and others.
And that's your lot. Not that long at all today! Tomorrow will definitely be earlier. Questions, criticisms and comments welcome as always
Jon
P.S. Yesterday's tagline was obviously a title from those amazing Take That fellas. I'll be doing a different song title in the tag line from now on or until I get stuck and can't think of one. If you guess it you win your weight in air!! Guess below or on FB :) AND NO GOOGLING!!!
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