This past Sunday we saw that God will do what he says he will do even when it seems impossible. In chapters 40 and 41 of Genesis we see God fulfilling some of his short term, medium term (not a thing people say) and long term promises.
In the short term, the dreams of the baker and the cupbearer are fulfilled within 3 days. In the medium term we begin to see how Joseph's dreams from 13 years ago are taking shape to be fulfilled. He is now second in command of an extremely powerful nation with a famine on the way. In the long term we see Joseph fulfilling what God promised to Abraham, at least in part. Remember God promised Abraham in chapter 12 that all people on earth would be blessed through him and during the famine people from all the earth came for food.
When we see this incredible divine orchestration of events in history it should not only leave us with a sense of awe and wonder at how amazing God is but it should also fill us with hope. Even though we do not see many promises from the NT fulfilled yet, we know that God is faithful and we can trust him to do what he says he will do.
So when we see God's promises we must first correctly interpret them. We must interpret God's promises in Scripture correctly and we must also correctly interpret anything God speaks to us individually. When correctly interpreted we must trust that it will come about just as God says even when it seems impossible.
Some of God's promises seem hard to believe in our current cultural climate and place in history:
- Colossians 3:11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
- This Paul wrote to a church deeply divided. In the midst of current racial divides in our nation it can seem hopeless that this unity will ever truly come in the kingdom of God.
- Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
- In the midst of any difficult time in our lives it can be difficult, maybe even impossible, to see how this could work out for good, how this could be bringing about God's purposes. Maybe we will never see it in our lives, but we can trust that somehow, someway this is true.
- John 14:2–3 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
- After almost 2,000 years of Jesus delaying his return we can easily lose hope. Yet we must trust that he will do what he says he will do.
Reflection
Reflect and/or journal about these questions:
- Which promises of God do you find most difficult to trust in difficult times?
- What promises are you clinging to right now?