Saturday, February 23: Genesis 47- Prospering in hard times .

After introducing Joseph’s family to Pharaoh, the heart of the chapter describes the extent of the famine and the hard times it produced in Egypt. By the end of the famine the people were reduced to servitude to Pharaoh, with Pharaoh owning all money, land and livestock.

Then comes a stunning verse, verse 27, Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.

Even during the years of famine and drought, Israel prospered. That can only be attributed to the gracious hand of God. It was not Israel’s brilliance, ingenuity, work ethic, or any other human factor. It was due to God’s providential hand.

I sat and considered this.

I can hear some TV preachers shouting that God wants His people to prosper even in bad times.  That it is ordained for the people of God to have plenty even while others are in want! Even writing this makes me ill. That’s not it at all! I probably shouldn’t have even written this since it might plant bad Bible understanding in reader’s minds.

A better, more faithful to the whole of scripture, place to go is, that God works His salvation plan and no circumstance can thwart God’s plan of salvation. Israel needed to be preserved, so that the Messiah could come from her loins. God was preserving Israel. Nothing, not even a horrendous 7-year famine, could undermine God’s salvation. So in the midst of the famine, God preserves Israel.

What about me in the 21^st century? Where do I connect in the story?

In our time God’s plan and purpose is to make disciples of all nations. So a connection I see is that God will preserve and prosper His church so that they can complete His plan of discipling all peoples of the earth. It is not about my personal prospering, it is about moving ahead in accomplishing God plan of salvation.

My thoughts flip.  How am I using the health (preservation) and material resources (prospering) that God has provided me to advance His plan of world discipling? How am I advancing God’s kingdom and reign and plan with my life?

Lord, we are almost one sixth through 2013.  Iis there more You would have me be doing to advance Your agenda of witnessing to the name and salvation found in Jesus to the ends of the earth? Open my eyes to what You would have me do for You. Amen.