2nd Week of Lent
Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons. (Genesis 37:3)
What a recipe for trouble! A father has twelve sons but unapologetically favors one over the others. As a result, let’s just say the golden boy, Joseph, doesn’t have self-esteem issues. To make matters worse, his dreams only reinforce his special status—and he enthusiastically shares them with his brothers. It’s no wonder their jealousy leads them to the brink of killing him!
It’s a good thing that this story is in our Bible. It shows us that God can take jealousy, pride, and family dysfunction and bring something good from them. Resentment, lying, murderous thoughts, bitterness? It’s no problem; he can redeem it all and use it to bring about his plan. Look at what he did for Joseph and his family. From his slavery in Egypt, which his brothers engineered, Joseph was able to save his family from famine and reconcile with his brothers.
So don’t despair if you see problems in your family. No one is perfect. There’s no denying the fact that sin is corrosive and can devastate relationships and deeply wound people. But don’t ever forget that sin doesn’t have the last word; God does! Even when you can’t see how everything will work out, even when the pain is real, you can still trust that God can go above and beyond. Think about Joseph all those years in slavery, in prison, learning to wait for God’s plan to come to full flowering.
Be careful not to lose your perspective, either. Just as Joseph learned that God would work everything out for good if he stayed true to the Lord, the Spirit wants to teach you the same thing. God can see where things are heading and how they will all work out, even when it doesn’t make sense to you right now. You can trust him to love you every step of the way, right into the fullness of life that he has in store for you.
Keep these truths in the forefront of your mind. Proclaim them to yourself often. Let Jesus fill you with hope and trust in him. He has your family in the palm of his hand!
“Lord, I trust you with my family. I believe you can do great things with us. May we bring glory to you!”
Psalm 105:16-21
Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46
Daily Marriage Tip for March 6, 2015:
A pediatrician asked a new mom when she and her husband were going to have a date that week. The doctor said, “I’m serious. Unless you agree to have a weekly date, you can find another pediatrician. Your child is more likely to thrive if your marriage is strong.”