Our Best in His Timing

God’s timing!

This year seemed to move slow. We prayed, we pursued, we studied, and in the end God gave us a harvest. The months of praying and waiting seemed long.

Our finances were lean. For much of 2023, we weren’t hitting our budget . . . but their was enough. We lost dear loved ones.

This year we said goodbye to Betty Brenneman, Nettie Yeager, and to Keith Knox. Although we will miss them, we know we will see them again.

This year our youth group shrank . . . but we saw a long time member saved and changed by the Lord.

This year we had some struggles with sin . . . but we saw people repent and be set free.

Although our numbers were few, we saw new members added to our church.

Although our start was slow, we have seen our numbers grow . . . not in leaps and bounds but just as God has ordained for us.

In the last two months of 2023, we have seen God bless us with three baptisms and a beautiful wedding.

This year has reminded of a couple of verses from 2 Peter

2 Peter 3:8–9 ESV

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

So what does the Lord have in store for 2024? I’m honestly not sure. I know He is working all things for our good. In an election year that will be filled with all kinds of chaos, opportunities to extend grace and shine for the Gospel will be abundant. As the last year wound up and the new year lie before me I was left with one question; How do we serve the Lord best as we wait on His perfect timing?

As I pondered this, God reminded me of the life of Joseph. It’s a lot of verses so I will summarize some of it and try to highlight for us the key lessons we can carry forward into 2024.

Before we jump forward, let’s pause and thank the Lord for his faithfulness

Pray

Lessons from the Life of Joseph

The dreamer with a rainbow coat.

Genesis 37:1–11 ESV

1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. 5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

Warning: Guard your heart

Proverbs 4:23 ESV

23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

What things tend to creep into your heart?

What excuses do you make in order to let them in?

The result of this conflict was not the fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams.

In the end, Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery and tell their father that he was eaten by a wild animal.

At this time, Joseph was 17 years old.

From slave to overseer

Genesis 39:1–6 ESV

1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. 4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. 6 So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

With good times comes bad temptations

Potiphar’s wife couldn’t leave well enough alone.

Jospeh’s response:

Genesis 39:8–9 ESV

8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. 9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”

Warning: Be on guard against temptation, especially when we enter a season of blessing.

From overseer to prisoner

God was with Joseph in the worst situation:

Genesis 39:21–23 ESV

21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

The Forgotten foreteller

Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's cup bearer and baker

Genesis 40:8 ESV

8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

The cup bearer would be restored and the baker would be killed.

Pharaoh’s dream

Genesis 41:14–16 ESV

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

From prisoner to a position of power

Genesis 41:37–45 ESV

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

Joseph was now 30 years old.

From dreamer to provider

Joseph accuses his brothers of being spies

Genesis 42:18–25 ESV

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” 22 And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.” 23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

Joseph get’s them to bring Benjamin

Joseph’s brothers bow to him:

Genesis 43:26 ESV

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground.

Joseph invites them for a meal

Joseph plants the cup in Benjamin’s bag

Judah tries to rescue Benjamin

Joseph reveals himself

Genesis 45:1–9 ESV

1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. 4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry.

Warning: Do not presume that all God does for us will be packaged the way we expect.

Perspective for 2024

What are you looking to for blessing and purpose?

An election

A new job

A new relationship

Financial security

Comfort and health

What warnings did we get from Joseph’s life?

Warning: Guard your heart

Warning: Be on guard against temptation, especially when we enter a season of blessing.

Warning: Do not presume that all God does for us will be packaged the way we expect.

Are we ready to walk with God in 2024?