There is a lot of angst in this world. God’s creation warring against itself. If you read the Biblical prophets, they indicate that things will not get better prior to the return of Christ. There are difficult times ahead, raising many questions.

How do we handle it? Do we go with what the world says? Or do we go with what God says? How do we know that God is talking to us?

Difficult situations can cause us to react emotionally or respond spiritually with wisdom and discernment. Shutting out the noise of the world and listening to that still small voice. Discerning what you hear—God will not go against his word. Checking his word is a good path to take. Remember that God works all things to the good for those who love him.

Recall Joseph, son of Jacob, sold into slavery and ending up in Egyptian prison because of false accusations. After two years, the Pharaoh had a perplexing dream, and Joseph was called up to interpret. Joseph rightly interprets the dream to be God’s warning of a coming famine in seven years. There would be seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. The repetition of the second dream meant that the matter was fixed, and God would shortly bring it about. Joseph then advises Pharaoh on what to do, and Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of everything— his household and all of his people. He said in Genesis 41:38, “Can we find anyone like him? The Spirit of God lives in him!”

Joseph became second in power, only to Pharaoh, and was given an Egyptian name, Tzafnat-Pa’neach (discerner of secrets), and an Egyptian wife, Osnat, the daughter of a pagan priest. Joseph went throughout the land preparing for the famine by collecting extra grain during the seven years of plenty. When the famine came, Joseph’s father, Jacob, heard there was grain in Egypt, and he was very decisive. He said in Genesis 42:2, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

Long story short, these actions resulted in reunion and reconciliation among Joseph and his family, as well as saving countless lives from starvation. There are many more incredible outcomes from this reunion and types and shadows of the coming Christ and his salvation plan.

Herein, we can learn from Pharaoh, Joseph, and Jacob. God spoke to Pharaoh through a dream. Joseph, who had the Spirit of God living in him, interpreted the dream. Then Joseph was led by God to wisely prepare for the famine. Jacob decisively sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain. These events were not happenstance. Joseph and Jacob shut out the difficulty and emotions of their situations and focused on what the Spirit was telling them. Then they acted with wisdom.

As we look at our challenges today and the constant noise around us, how are we to hear from God?

First, we must be in relationship with Christ. Then we need to fellowship with him and listen. Making sure what we hear is from God, we check our thoughts with the Bible. Then we take action. That action may be the opposite direction from the world, but faith will prove true.

Posted in The Daily Jot

The holiday season is a time when we think about family and getting together to share the blessings of being around our loved ones. It is a time that is celebrated beginning with Thanksgiving—thanking the Lord for our many blessings because He is with us always—and extending through Christmas, where we honor the birth of Christ who brought us eternal salvation (even though he likely wasn’t born in December). But so many around the world are unable to celebrate these good tidings with family members because they are estranged or feuding, which makes the season very sad.

The Bible gives us a very good example of how to handle even the deepest division within our families.

Genesis 32-33 recalls the story of Jacob and Esau reconciling their relationship after 22 years. It begins with Jacob being extremely distraught by news that Esau was coming with a company of 400 men. Jacob prayed to the Lord in Genesis 32:11,

“Deliver me, I pray of you, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.”

Now Jacob, being wise, sent Esau hundreds of goats and sheep as well as camels, cattle, and donkeys. Jacob hoped Esau would “accept” him. Essentially, Jacob went before the Lord in prayer and then began humbling himself before Esau. He even restored much of the inheritance he wrestled away from Esau in deceiving their father Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing of the firstborn. The night before Esau came, Jacob, still distressed, was alone.

Genesis 32:23-30 tells us Jacob wrestled with a “man” until daybreak. Jacob wouldn’t let go until he received a blessing, as the “man” was God. We know this because the “man” told Jacob,

“Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel.”

And Genesis 32:30 says,

“Jacob called the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.”

Esau and his band of 400 came that morning. Jacob “bowed himself to the ground seven times until he came near to his brother.” Esau ran to Jacob, embraced him, kissed him, and they wept.

Jacob had wrestled with God and would not let go until he received an answer. Jacob’s humility before Esau led to reconciliation.

In Genesis 33:10, Jacob says,

“I have seen your [Esau’s] face, as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.”

Even with their reconciliation, we see that this family feud continues between Arabs and Jews because of the choices people make.

We control our choices. We can choose to continue in distrust and animosity, which becomes a bitter root. Or we can choose to humble ourselves before the Lord and put away the pride at the center of division. We can focus on the good rather than the negative, irrespective of what others choose.

What choice can we make that will change the legacy of our family, mend our hearts, and please our Father which is in heaven? Through the example of Jacob wrestling with God, receiving blessing, and choosing humility before his estranged brother, we, too, can find the blessing of reconciliation. If the other person chooses to remain estranged, we are blessed by our choice in humility before God.

Posted in The Daily Jot