What this blog is about and what I hope it does...

I hope this will be a simple fun tool for us to grow in our understanding and surrender to God through the Bible as we connect over the web. Reading the Bible is both simple and difficult. What could be easier than opening a book and reading? Yet we've all done that and wondered what sections of the Bible mean? What's with the book of Leviticus? What is Revelation really about? Is the Song of Songs about marital love or is it supposed to be more 'spiritual' than that?

So, my intent is for this blog to be a tool that helps us in our faith. A forum for better understanding. An honest place of sharing that nurtures us as we follow Jesus together.

(There are a few resources I have included under "PAGES" that may be a helpful start, especially to those newer to reading the Bible. It's located just below this and to the right. Also included is a READING OUTLINE. If you miss a day, go on to the next rather than trying to catch up.)

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9.17.2010

GENESIS 50

For NIV reading click here http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+50&version=NIV

Lots to say about Genesis 50 and the whole Joseph story that spans about 14 chapters.

A few selected thoughts, some about the things the story reveals about us, and some about what the story reveals about God:

What the story reveals about us:
  1. Somewhere in Joseph's life, perhaps as a result of his brothers' actions, Joseph learned to suffer in a trusting way through which God redeems others (more than anything, this reflects Joseph as a 'type' of Jesus).
  2. The Jacob/Joseph story is a push to reflect on family relationships. How many of us have been hurt by a family member: a dad, a sister, a cousin. How do our responses line up with Joseph's? The whole story reminds us how much impact our family dynamics have on us, but also how God can redeem them through our faithfulness.
  3. Joseph's life is a study in what it looks like to faithfully leverage circumstances - knowing God was with him seemed to free Joseph to have an amazing amount of confidence in God even when others were framing him, imprisoning him and forgetting about him.
  4. When I read Genesis 37-50 I'm challenged to revisit how I interpret what God might be doing through what's happening. This is not about settling or resigning to whatever happens, but a transformed way of looking at everything so that we can make wiser more trusting decisions. This part of Joseph's story is what is most difficult for me.
  5. Fruit of the Spirit: in Joseph I see self-control, patience, kindness...remind you of Galatians 5:22-23?

What the story reveals about God:

  1. God's plans are big - what was happening in Jacob's family spans something far bigger than family hurt, selfishness, favoritism, jealousy, and unjust circumstances. Our perspective has a hard time zooming out, but whether we dealing with how long something has been going on, or how many people are impacted, or how far the consequences reach, what God is doing through our immediate circumstances are pulled up into something incomprehensibly bigger.
  2. God's promise will be carried forward. God seems to allow us to get in His way, but only to a degree. It may seem that all that happened through this family of promise got in the way of the promise. But at most it only slowed it up a bit. And perhaps that was part of the promise itself!
  3. Joseph easily becomes our hero in the story, but the real hero is God. This is true of every page of the Bible.
  4. God is with us! A resounding chorus of the entire Bible is God's presence and activity no matter what! Like the Psalmist asks, 'where can I flee from you presence?' Like Paul sings, 'who can seperate us from the love of Christ?' Like Jesus assured, 'I am with you always.' So, 'what would you do in your circumstances if you were completely confident God was with you?'
  5. God can be trusted! This is hard. When things seem to unravel, when we're misunderstood, when we're wrongly accused, when we're waiting and waiting and waiting...and waiting for God to jump in...God Can Be Trusted. Help me remember that!
A few more reflections:
  1. Exodus begins with the word 'and' demanding that we see it as a continuation of Genesis - in fact Exodus begins with 'and these are the names' (shemot = Hebrew title for the second book).
  2. The promises of Genesis continue to be fulfilled.
  3. The people of the promise still struggle.
  4. The God of the promise has not left us alone and His promises will be fulfilled.
  5. Jesus proves it!

Your comments...

Matt

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2 comments:

  1. Dave WybleSeptember 17, 2010 at 12:44 PM

    Wow, quite a bunch of good stuff Matt. Too much to digest all at once. I'll start with "trust God." It seems to me this requires some understanding of God's plan for us. Trust, yes. Do, yes. I am responsible for moving God's agenda forward, at least within my circle of influence.

    Who's the hero? I think we can still consider Joseph the hero too. For many of the reasons you list. He rolled with the punches, made the best of things, and accomplished God's mission. If you always allow God to be the hero, then of course He will always be the hero. Shouldn't we be allowed to have human role models?

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  2. MattSeptember 17, 2010 at 4:41 PM

    True...we should have some selective role models...Paul talks about it and calls his congregation(s) to 'imitate' him, but only as he imitates Christ. This is all good and helpful as long as we keep in mind that God/Christ and walking in step with the Spirit is our goal - human role models become a means of understaning what that might look like. Thanks Dave.

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