We continue along in the life of Moses today.  After he is found amongst the reeds we have nothing of his life until he is grown. (unless the movie Prince of Egypt counts).  We pick up the story with Moses aware that he is from Israel.  Let’s look at it together today. 

One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?” 14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock. 18 When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?” 19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage.

Moses clearly has a longing to see his people free and as he sees their struggle he kills an Egyptian.  He is eventually found out and he flees to Midian.  This leads to Moses meeting his wife, Zipporah.  He goes along and picks up a whole new life in Midian.  He probably would have lived the rest of his life there, but God has other plans for Moses.  Big plans.  Have you ever thought about what might be different if Moses ignored the burning bush (spoiler alert).  I wonder sometimes if there aren’t smaller burning bushes in our own life that we miss as we go through the business of life.  God wants to use each and every one of us two do great things.  Things to build His kingdom, to reach others for Jesus.  How often do we miss out on the blessing of that because we are caught up in our own agenda and plans.  Be on the lookout for those great things that God wants to do in and through your life. 

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Have you ever been is a tough situation where your only option was a long shot.  Something you hoped might work but you really had no idea how it would turn out.  This is how we are introduced to Moses in the Bible.  His mom tries to hide him but realizes she won’t be able to any longer so makes a basket and places it in the Nile River with Moses inside.  Let’s look at the story together today.  

Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. 5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said. 7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?” 8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

God’s Covenant plan to make Abraham’s descendants into a great nation and lead them into the promised land continues after Joseph’s death but does take another turn.  Let’s pick up the story today in Exodus 1.  

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. 8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” 11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

The Egyptians begin to fear the Israelites because they have grown so much.  They are enslaved and worked hard.  God is again using a difficult time to bring about His ultimate plan.  Shortly in the story we will pick up with Moses and his life.  He faced his own difficulties in life, not always as faithfully as Joseph.  God used him to do amazing thing for the nation of Israel.  Ultimately the entirety of the Biblical narrative is the story of God’s faithfulness toward a people that are not always faithful.  It remains our story today.  Take time today and reflect on the faithfulness of God in your own story.  Thank Him and let that encourage us all as we walk through our own difficulties and challenges in life. 

Have you ever heard the expression hindsight is 20/20?  It is sometimes more clear to look back on situations and see clearly what God was accomplishing than you can see in the midst of the situation.  The hardships in Joseph’s life God used for good.  Things don’t get any easier for Israel after Joseph dies either.  God ultimately continues to use difficult situations to bring about His plan and ultimate good.  Let’s look together at the end of Joseph’s story found in Genesis 50.

 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. 18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. 22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years 23 and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees. 24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Israel is about to go through another season of difficult times until God raises up another person to follow Him and lead Israel away from Egypt, Moses.  It is amazing to look back and see all of the times that God provided rescue for His people.  It is also interesting to see all of the difficult times along the way when people could have lost faith.  Abraham had a few crisis of faith.  Joseph had many opportunities he could have stumbled along the way.  Moses will face many more challenges.  Yet throughout all of this God continues to faithfully bring His people through.  He tells us in the word that He does the same for us.  Sometimes it takes hindsight to clearly see His hand at work but know that He loves you.  He is with you and He is at work in your life.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever been reunited with someone after a long time apart?  It’s is always an emotional reunion.  I can only imagine what it must have been like for Jacob and Joseph.  Particularly Jacob thinking his son was dead all these years.  Let’s look at the account together today. 

 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time. 30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.” 31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”

God used Joseph’s troubles for good and ultimately to save both Israel and Egypt.  This reunion however must have still been something.  I’m sure they both wept, laughed, and mourned for the time they missed in each other’s lives.  Joseph certainly had lots of stories to catch his father up on.  I often wonder if Joseph ever had bad feelings creep back in toward his brothers after they were reconciled.  He forgave them and understood that God used their evil for good.  I still can’t help but wonder if he struggled with that.  Even after we have forgiven someone resentment can happen.  The beautiful thing is that Jesus helps us to overcome that.  When we feel resentment building in our lives we need to remind ourselves of the amazing grace poured out for us.  Jesus’ love and grace in our lives helps us to extend it to others.  Today rest in the amazing grace of Jesus and look to share it with others as well.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Today we celebrate Good Friday when Jesus gave His life to pay the penalty for our sins.  Because of this great act our sins can be forgiven and we can be reconciled with God.  It’s appropriate that today we pick up the story of Joseph with him offering forgiveness to his brothers for their great sins against him.  Let’s look at the passage together today.

Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. 9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. 10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.

Joseph is able to offer forgiveness to his brothers because he knows that God had a bigger and better plan all along.  He can see the hand of God in each and every step of this journey.  While Joseph’s life has had many ups and downs God’s plan has been leading to this moment all along.  He ultimately will give the best land in all of Egypt to Joseph’s family.  Israel will prosper greatly under these conditions and become a great nation.  There will certainly be more ups and downs in this journey (Moses is next) but God remains faithful.  God’s faithfulness is the very key to the forgiveness Joseph offers his brothers.  God freely forgives us and calls us to forgive others in return.  Joseph knows that whatever wrongs happen to us God is faithful and will bring us through.  Today embrace the forgiveness of God it truly is a gift of grace.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Life has a way of often coming full circle.  We get reconnected with long lost friends.  We go back to towns we grew up in.  I am about to do a wedding for the granddaughter of a woman who I got to marry to her high school sweetheart 50 years after they first met.  Joseph has this experience as he is reunited to his brothers after much time has gone on.  I encourage you to read Genesis 42 to get the whole story but we are going to pick it up today in Genesis 43 as Joseph’s brothers prepare to go back to Egypt a second time and bring Benjamin with them this time.

Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.” 3 But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’” 6 Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?” 7 They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 10 As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.” 11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. 14 And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

Jacob (Israel) does not want Benjamin to go.  The brothers are unwilling to go without him as that was Joseph’s demand.  They still have no idea he is their brother.  Simeon is waiting in jail all the while.  I don’t know if Joseph has a clear plan in his mind as to what he wants to do yet.  He is overjoyed to see his brothers but there has to be some lingering hurt.  Perhaps that is why he is making them jump through all of these hoops before revealing himself and forgiving them.  Maybe there is someone in your life who you have a lingering hurt from.  There is no better time then today to offer them forgiveness.  Today (Thursday of Holy Week) we celebrate when Jesus instituted the last supper.  He laid down his life to offer to us the ultimate forgiveness.  His example, as well as the example of Joseph, should encourage us to forgive others as well.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Have you ever gotten through a difficult season and just been at peace for awhile?  It’s a great feeling.  You make it through and feel as though you are on the other side.  We pick up the story of Joseph in such a place.  He is experiencing God’s blessing through children and through successfully ruling all of Egypt.  Let’s look at the account together today.

 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure. 50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.” 56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

Joseph is not only ruling Egypt but he is doing it really well.  Egypt is the only nation that has food so they are getting rich by selling grain to all the other nations around them.  God is using Joseph to help save the world from starving.  Often God brings us through a hard time so that He can use us for something special.  I pray that God will use the hard times in our lives to do the same.  Today take some time to reflect on some hard times in your life and look to see just how God has used those for good. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Today’s passage of scripture is a bit longer but you need most of it for the story.  In fact you might want to just read Genesis 41 from your Bible.  This is the point in the story where Joseph is remembered by the cupbearer and interprets Pharaoh’s dream and ultimately is put in charge of all of Egypt.  Those of you that know the rest of the story know that this is just another step in His plan to save Joseph’s family, the people of Israel.  Let’s look at the story together today.

8 In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him. 9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.” 14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”… 25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine. 28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon. 33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” 37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Joseph lets Pharaoh know that he has no power to interpret a dream but that God does. Joseph ends up in charge of all of Egypt and in a position to help the people of Israel and Egypt.  This was God’s plan from the beginning as He used each and every one of these bad situations for an ultimate good.  God works that way in our lives as well.  Often he uses uncomfortable or tough circumstances to usher things in our lives for our good.  I’m sure all of us can look back on tough circumstances and see how God has used those in our life.  Perhaps you are in a tough situation now, or maybe you haven’t gotten to the light at the end of the tunnel.  Be encouraged by the story of Joseph and know that even when we don’t know it, God is at work!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave