The Best Is Yet to Come

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Based on “Living from Bad to Worse” by Pastor Dave Folkerts;

8/21-22/10, Message #DF150; Daily Devotional #3 - “The Best Is Yet to Come”

Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Murphy’s Law, familiar to so many, says, “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” Have you been there? You know, you drop your peanut-buttered bread that always lands face-down; you wear a white shirt to an Italian restaurant, and here comes the sauce; you leave home early for work and hit every red light on the way. Society says there is no escaping this law of so-called bad luck, but in God’s economy, the foolish things of the world confuses the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). Read on …

Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): In the life of Joseph we see a series of events that went from bad to worse. He had twelve siblings – eleven brothers and one sister. Among all these children, Joseph was the favorite of his father, Jacob. His brothers hated him for this and also for the dream he shared of them bowing down to his authority (Genesis 37:3-5). Over time, the brothers became increasingly angry, to the point where they threw him into a pit and then schemed to sell him as a slave (Genesis 37:24; Genesis 37:28). Joseph was purchased by an Egyptian officer named Potiphar, who gave Joseph authority over his house. Now, here is Joseph in the mansion of an army captain. His brothers wanted Joseph away from them so he would not be favored, yet he found favor not only with Potiphar, but also with the Lord. And right on cue, the enemy came to throw Joseph off guard when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him (1 Peter 5:8). He quickly fled the scene, only to be accused of rape, and then be put in jail. Joseph must have wondered how he went from the palace guard to a prison inmate. He followed the rules, he worked with excellence and made God look good, yet he found himself in a dark dungeon. Have you been there? When we find ourselves in the valley of death, our choice is to suffer or to serve. We can have an internal perspective of misery and pity, or we can have an eternal perspective of mercy and hope. When we lift our eyes to the Lord in humility, serving Him with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, God makes clear who He is and that the battle belongs to Him (1 Samuel 17:47). At just the right time we are rescued from the pit of despair. God can reach us no matter where we are (Isaiah 59:1). The question is, “Will you reach out to Him?” Because of Joseph’s obedience and God’s faithfulness, he was raised up to a high place of honor under Pharaoh. And when his family faced a famine, they went to find food in Egypt. What they found was a man who received them as his own, allowing them to feast at his table. Joseph revealed his identity as family and encouraged them to live in his kingdom. God used Joseph as an instrument of His glory in every circumstance.

Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Joseph found himself in places he probably could not imagine. He was cast aside by those closest to him, was punished for a crime he didn’t commit, and he was left for dead in a pit. If this sounds familiar, it should. His story precedes the life of Jesus. But God … gave them favor, used them to point others to Him, and worked their circumstances together for good (Romans 8:28). When Jesus said, “It is finished,” (John 19:30) He meant just that. No longer do we have to live in our own strength. No longer must we be defeated by the enemy. No longer should we walk by sight. All we need to do is trust God and obey His Word. He is faithful to complete the work He has started in us (Philippians 1:6). Joseph said to his brothers what we need to remember about the trials in our lives: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20). Joseph stuck to the standards of God, not deviating from them, which led Him to a place of favor. His life pointed people to the Lord, who conquered the grave, rose from the dead, and lives in the hearts of those who believe He is who He said. Murphy may have a law that binds up the world, but we have a Redeemer who breaks the mold of society and the chains that go with it. With Him life is better than good, but the best is yet to come.