Wednesday, June 15, 2011

TSoGS Genesis 41:1-57

I was once in a small group where one of the women was struggling with committing her life to Christ. Her hang up was something most of us struggle with AFTER we enter into Gods family. She was afraid that God would call her to something big and important and she was sure that it would be too much. The leader of the group tried to appease her by telling her that God would never ask her to do anything she couldn't do.

It was a good answer right? God never gives you more than you can handle right?

He was completely wrong, just ask Joseph.

Joseph was in Jail for 2 years, probably with not much hope of ever getting out. Pharaoh called Joseph in and says, "My wine taster here says you can help me with a problem." Joseph's response (without really thinking about it)? "Not me man, let me check with God. I'm pretty sure He can."

Next thing he knows he is being asked to manage the economic affairs of the most powerful nation in the world.

Put yourself in Joseph's place. It had to be surreal. Imagine the personalities, the racial differences and the language differences involved just in earning the trust of all the people he would have to work with to pull it off. Imagine trying to convince an entire country to store 20% of every ounce of food for the future. It had to look impossible. I can't even fathom where you would start.

This was God calling him to something big and important and I believe that he thought (at least for a second) that it would be too much for him. At some point Joseph knew he had nothing to do but hold on and let God work.

Isn't that what we are doing here with the vine? Are we doing something big and important that looks impossible?

Isn't it Great!

Things to think about.

What is the most impossible thing you see in your participation in the Vine? Are you letting God work?

We are halfway through Hebrews 11 in our reading in Genesis, about to cross a threshold. Read verse 13. What do you think about it? Would you be content living with the promise but never seeing it?




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