A WORD FOR TODAY, January 18, 2021
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, January 18, 2021
“Blessed is a person who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God,’ for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin. The sin, when it is full grown, produces death.” James 1:12-15, WEB
This week’s question comes from the story of Joseph. “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
Jacob had twelve sons but Joseph, the son of his beloved wife Rachel, was his favorite. He was showered with gifts, including a richly ornamented robe, which made Jacob’s other sons jealous. Rachel had one other son, Benjamin, who was also deeply loved.
Joseph was a dreamer but his dreams were strange and unusual. One dream foretold that Joseph would rule over his brothers. Another dream put him as ruler over even his mother and father. His brothers became so jealous that they schemed to get rid of him. While they were in the field grazing the sheep, Joseph went out to see if all was well. His brothers schemed to leave him to die, and to lie to their father that he had been devoured by a wild animal. Reuben convinced them to spare his life and sell him as a slave instead.
Joseph ended up in Egypt. He suffered through many trials, but eventually Pharaoh made him second in command and charged him with managing the whole kingdom. Pharaoh had several dreams which Joseph interpreted; the dreams were warnings that there would be good years of fruit from the fields followed by years of famine. With Joseph’s guidance, the Egyptians saved enough grain through the good years that they were able to help feed the world, including Joseph’s family, during the famine. Joseph persevered through it all and proved God’s dream to be trustworthy.
He could have been tempted by discouragement, diversion, and doubt. He could have given up when his brothers rejected him. He could have succumbed to the temptation of Potiphar’s wife. He could have doubted God’s dream with every obstacle he faced. He asked today’s question specifically when Potiphar’s wife seduced him knowing that the sin would be against God as well as his master. He seems to have had that attitude whenever he faced moments of decision. He trusted God and persevered until the promise was fulfilled.
It is easy to be discouraged, diverted, and to doubt that God has called you to His work in this world. There are so many obstacles, so many temptations, and so many reasons to doubt that we have heard God correctly. We need to beware, though, that it begins with the littlest thing. A dishonest life begins with little white lie. An affair begins with harmless flirting. A rejection of God’s call begins with a glimmer of doubt that God is able to accomplish His work through your life. This is why we ponder today’s question, knowing that every sin is a sin against God. The best we can do is to trust that God is working through us even when every sign indicates otherwise, to persevere through the difficulties so that we will see the fulfillment of His promises.
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