Journeying with Joseph, part two

June 14th was a particularly rainy Sunday, I stood in the church service with a heavy heart. I tried to keep thanking God for somewhere to stay, some finances to come through but still the heaviness, like the rain, persisted. The only things I knew I had to do that day was 1) eat the free hot meal provided at the African Feast after the service 2) return the rental car God miraculously provided for me. Other than that I had no idea what was going to happen next. My situation may have seemed hopeless BUT I am rooted in God and deep within me, beyond my feelings of heaviness, I knew that God had me in the palm of His hand and He was going to do something.

I had attended a prayer meeting earlier that week where I met a lady who attended the church regularly, she was prompted by Holy Spirit to talk to me. We had a wonderful time of sharing and at the end she invited me to sit with her during the service. On that Sunday, she introduced me to a family, friends of hers, who sat directly in front of us. They seemed like nice people and even gave me a hug to say hello. They also invited me to sit with them as we feasted on beautifully prepared African food. We got to know each other a little but I was admittedly distracted as I was aware I had to return the rental car; being late incurred extra charges which I couldn't afford. As I said a brief goodbye, the family asked me where I was staying. This was the kairos* moment that Father God had prepared long before I was even born, all our days are written in His book (Psalm 139:16).

This family offered me a place to stay and even came to the airport to collect me after I had dropped the rental car off. I was filled with great relief, even in the pouring rain, I couldn't stop thanking God! What perfect timing. This family became my host family and if you have read previous blogs you will know of their generosity and kindness to me and how it is that God lead me to this particular family to serve them as part of my mission in Canada.

Before I left for Canada I attempted to establish some contacts by asking my friends if they knew anyone that lived there, or even if they knew where I could stay but nothing came from it. I had even emailed the particular church Holy Spirit had directed me to visit, asking them if they offered hospitality, I had no response. But after a little while I realised, I had no peace while asking. So I asked Holy Spirit why this was and He said, wait on Me and I will make the contacts for you, I will connect you. About two months after I arrived, I had an email from the church about my hospitality request saying, 'So sorry, I've only just seen your email, I don't understand how I missed it.' Isn't it interesting how God shuts the doors to the wrong path. That's grace. 

Genesis 39:2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

The sequence of the three acts of God in this verse are inescapably significant. 

First: the Lord is with Joseph, as a consequence...

Second: ...Joseph was a prosperous man

Third: the Lord placed Joseph in the house of an Egyptian master - not just any master but a significant man called Potiphar.

The context: Joseph has been sold into slavery by his brothers. He is bought by the captain of the guard of Pharaoh himself. The captain of the guard is called Potiphar, understandably in his position he would be a man of considerable wealth. However, Potiphar's wealth is not the reason that Joseph is prosperous. Regardless of whether Joseph was being clothed with the robe of many colours by his dad, Jacob, or being cast into a pit by his brothers or being sold into slavery, the most important thing about Joseph was not his physical location/circumstances but Who was with him. 

I have been in some sticky situations as I have journeyed with my Father, June 14th is just one example  of how you can come to a place with no apparent option: no finances, no accommodation, no food etc. Why does a loving Father allow this, it may not seem a loving thing to do to His daughter. One of the most beautiful things about my Father is His trustworthiness, His faithfulness. How can I truly learn about those aspects of His enduring love for me if I don't face situations where He can show Himself as such. When the going gets tough, we have an option, trust God. I can testify that in every situation, in each moment:

He is with me - just like He was with Joseph, He is with me always - this is my defining reality because in Him I live and move and have my being**. There is no detail in this life so small it escapes God's watchful eye***, after all He made every particle that makes an atom and it is Him that holds all things together****. A testimony: renting a car without a credit card is almost unheard of, unless you are me. I cut up my credit card years ago as prompted by Holy Spirit yet He has enabled me to rent 3 cars in the last year. When He said rent a car in Toronto, the first place asked for $1000 deposit, I didn't have it. Holy Spirit then led me to walk to each car rental office at the airport and on my third request, I had a YES. He is with me and I am learning to trust Him more each day.

He makes me prosperous - my every need is met and I am often overflowing with provision. Priska, my hostess, invited me to go to the store with her one Saturday and I happily said yes please as I needed some things and Father had provided the money for it. I chose what I needed and as a treat even got some decaf coffee for the nights when I want coffee but sleep too! I carried my basket of items to the cashier and Priska motioned for me to put everything with hers, so I did. As I got ready to pay her for my stuff, she said, please let me get them for you. We even got ice cream sundaes afterwards! He fills my cup to overflowing and He blesses us through each other. I am so grateful to You Daddy God, my Provider! 

He places me - I don't know what life is going to look like day to day, if we are honest we will admit that not one of us does. Even if we have day jobs and appointments, we cannot take anything for granted, only God knows what will happen because He has a plan for our lives. We are either in His plan or outside of His plan. Being in His plan doesn't mean everything is great all the time, there are valleys as well as mountain top experiences, both have value in conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ, our Lord. I am relieved, like Joseph was I'm sure, to be placed by God exactly where He wants us. There we will find His favour and grace and as a consequence God will bless the people He places us with, He will speak through us, act through us and impart His love through us. This was my mission with my host family and how beautiful it was to have this mission in a Jubilee year! It was their kindness that unlocked the doors to me fulfilling the mission to bless them.

Genesis 39:1-6

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down there. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

*Kairos, a Greek word meaning, the right time, an opportune time or season. 

**For Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:28

***Psalm 121

****For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

Journeying with Joseph, part one

The major theme of my time, thus far, in Canada has been: PUSH THROUGH. 

If you have never been on a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus you may not, like me, know how to exit the bus. Unlike other buses I've travelled on, when you get to your stop, the double doors don't automatically open. The first time I wanted to exit at a particular stop, I stood at the double doors waiting and nothing happened. I was confused. I did everything I knew to do, I requested my stop by pressing the STOP bell and behold the bus stopped but the driver didn't open the doors as I expected and I missed my stop. Thankfully the next stop wasn't too far away and I exited through the front door like I saw some other passengers do. The next time I travelled on a TTC bus, I made sure to watch as passengers exited through the rear double doors. I learned that if you want to get out, provided the green light above the door is on, you have to push the doors open. 

This feels like the most challenging season I've ever been in. I remember in the beginning praying relentlessly for a change, for an exit. I often go to the local library (thank God for libraries) where I do most of my writing and correspondence. I recall a day when I sat in my favourite chair and looked around the library searching for a sign of some kind to encourage me, my eyes fell upon a book titled EXIT PLAN. For a few moments, even for a day, it seemed there was an imminent release coming. That was months ago and I am still here. Does that mean the sign was false and my encouragement misplaced?  With the help of Holy Spirit and hindsight, I can now say, assuredly no. I may not have understood the sign (the book title) at the time because I didn't take the time to pray into it, as in my desperation I interpreted it for what I wanted it to mean, a literal and imminent exit plan. Perhaps Holy Spirit was saying, there is an exit plan... from the wrong perceptions that keep you in desperation, just push through and you will see as I see and be delivered from the overwhelming desire to escape so you can blossom where I've planted you. 

The good news is the desire to run from this season has left me. I am no longer desperate. I've learned that I need to push through to exit the bus and therefore get off at the right stop. A little while ago I was inspired by Holy Spirit to delve into Joseph's journey. I'm taking my time with it, lingering on aspects of his life that fascinate me, especially the glaring absence of any mention of sin in his life. It intrigues me that even when he was at his lowest (in the pit or in prison) there is still no record of him faltering in his faith in God. This spotless record is also true of Daniel and later Jesus, Who took on flesh for our sake and was tempted in every way, yet without sin. I believe Joseph (Daniel too) was a type of Jesus, a foreshadowing of things to come, after all everything in the Word points to Jesus Christ. 

Some hold the view that in sharing the dreams God gave him with his family, Joseph was prideful. This is in contrast with my reflections which instead brought to light his naïveté. 

Genesis 37:13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send you to them. And he said to him, Here am I.

If Joseph was operating in pride then surely he would not have so eagerly obeyed his father. Pride comes with friends like deceit and manipulation, and if Joseph was prideful he would have found a way to avoid going to his brothers because at the very least he would have known he was unwelcome and perhaps even in danger. In his naïveté, he went willingly. There is an interesting line in the song that King David sang as he worshipped God (when the Lord delivered him from his enemies and also from Saul), Psalms 18:26 with the purified You show Yourself pure...and again as Paul writes to Titus he says in Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. I do not see pride in Joseph, I do sense some immaturity and yes the naïveté. I do not believe at the time he received them, he could interpret the dreams God gave him, perhaps if he could, he would not have shared them. But for me there is a clear thread through Joseph's journey, his heart remained pure. But how did he remain pure? How did he not become desperate and falter, thinking God had forsaken him? How did he push through the extremely difficult circumstances that arose when he finally found his brothers with the flocks? 

Then God remembered Rachel and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, God has taken away my reproach and she called his name, Joseph, saying, may the Lord add to me another son*. The name Joseph as we know it is derived from Yasaph, meaning, 'the Lord adds and he shall add' or 'he increases' - it is a future continuous type of tense. Joseph was a miracle baby, even his name testified to that. He would have known from his mother, Rachel, how long she had waited for him, how she struggled through years of barrenness, praying until the Lord opened her womb. Joseph was the fruit of Rachel's labour (of faith and literally pushing through to deliver him) and God's favour. Joseph knew:

1) he was a miracle

2) his birth ushered in a new season for his family, Jacob's time of labouring for Laban was over**

3) that he was wanted and loved

4) that his name was significant, he was named to increase, to become great

How does this help us today:

We are miracles: John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave He (Jesus Christ) power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

One of the most beautiful aspects of the Kingdom of God is that nothing is random, everything has purpose. We have been chosen by God to live in this time, in this hour. We have been birthed miraculously (born again) by our Father God to live a life of purpose, taking pleasure in Whose we are and therefore who we are. 

Our rebirth in God has ushered in a new season for our families: 

From the testimony of Lydia and her household as well as that of the jailer in Philippi, I believe God's salvation through Jesus Christ is not just for one but for all in a household.  

Acts 16:25-34 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Jesus is the firstborn among many brothers and sisters***, so are we who have been saved. The term  firstborn, indicates there is more to be born, let us be encouraged as we wait in faith for our families to also know the Truth that sets free. In our acceptance of salvation in Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of heaven has come upon our families, our friends and our communities. Our faith in God for Him to do for our families what He has done for us is pleasing to Him, after all He has a greater desire to see our families saved than even we do. 

We are wanted and loved: John 3:14-17 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.

1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are...

We are not condemned, even when we mess up, even when in my desperation to exit this most challenging season, I embraced feelings of abandonment and rejection, still He did not condemn me. In His grace He allowed me to stay and push through so His character could be more fully formed in me. In His mercy, He forgave me. 

We are destined for great things: John 14:12, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 

What works did Jesus do? Preach the Kingdom of God is near; heal the sick; cast out demons; raise the dead, give sight to the blind; turn water into wine and many more. Why? To show us the love of His Father, who is now our Father. We can do all the things He did and more, we now have the authority and also the power of the Holy Spirit. 

And what happens when we are in a season like mine when those works are not on the main menu, it may be on the specials board, but not on the main menu? A few weeks ago I went to a prophecy session at church, hoping for a meaty prophetic word - honestly, hoping that Holy Spirit would finally speak something to me with the word RELEASE in it - as I sat before two people I had never before met, this is a snippet of what Holy Spirit spoke through them: I see you as a worshipper, I see the core to your life is 'in My presence is fullness of joy', I see you in this season taking time away to be in the presence of God...I see Him giving you a sense of where you're going and the next step...I bless the worshiper in you. I see you dancing before the Lord, even when you are preparing food or going out, it is worship to God. I think of Mary who washed the feet of Jesus, she washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped them with her hair, she took everything she had and worshipped Jesus. You want to give everything to Him, know that whatever you do, whatever you put your hand to, you're doing that.

Mostly I had been feeling ineffective, that I wasn't doing anything with purpose. Sometimes being called to the humble sowing of little seeds means the harvest isn't immediately discernible. The two kind people who took the time to search Father's heart for me didn't know anything about my season or my struggles or that I simply love to worship God. I have often prayed, oh Lord, use me in whatever way You have purposed, Your will not mine. And He is! And He is pleased with me, right where I am at, in every thing I am doing, no matter what it is. Some missions you get to do really exciting things and see mighty exploits of God first hand, in others, you get the green light to push through moment by moment as He forms His character fully in you, so that you are empowered to love as He loves and also trained to steward wisely the greater things that are surely coming. Joseph was convinced of who he was and the destiny that God had for him, no matter his circumstances. Father help us to be utterly convinced of Who you are and Your heart towards us, then we will truly know who we are and why we are alive in You for a time such as this. Amen.

* Genesis 30:22-24 ESV

**Genesis 30:25 ESV As soon as Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country.

***Romans 8:29 ESV For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.