The "Last Straw" Seasons
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· 10 viewsWhen you feel like it's the last straw, remain faithful to God - He will work it out for your good.
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Introduction
Have you ever said “this is the last straw?” I found myself saying it the other day. The next day, Linda and I were talking on the phone and she also said “this is the last straw.” Neither one of us typically use that term.
The original saying is “it was the last straw that broke the camel’s back”
The last straw means that you can’t take even one more thing or you will break in some way — you are at the end of your rope, have tied a not, and now the rope is unraveling — you are hanging by a thread — at your breaking point —
Joseph, the son of Israel (Jacob) faced many last straw moments
His statement to his brothers at the end of Genesis gives us an insight into how he felt about the many last straw moments he had faced over the years
But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
PRAYER
Narrative
After his falling out with Esau, Jacob left home, married two sisters (Leah & Rachel), and fathered 12 sons
His son Joseph was his favorite
The story of Joseph, in Genesis 37-50, is a wild and crazy ride
Joseph’s brothers were jealous — it says in Gen 37 that they hated him
When Joseph was 17, he told his brothers about his dream…wow
Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 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.” 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.
They hated him even more after this dream
Joseph was young and naive, so when he had another dream where the sun, moon, eleven stars were bowing down to him, everyone was furious with him…you might say this was the last straw for his older brothers
A while later, the brothers seized an unexpected opportunity to kill him (Gen 37:18 ff)
They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
When Joseph landed at the bottom of that dry well, he probably sustained some cuts and bruises…the fall might have even knocked him out. When he realized what had happened, he must have felt desperate. He might have felt that he was hanging on by a thread
What next? Why? Are they going to come back and kill me? Maybe they were just joking?”
They did come back, but not to kill him — they sold him to a band of Midianite slave traders for about 8 ounces of silver
They told their father, Jacob, that Joseph was killed by wild animals
Slave traders took Joseph to Egypt where he worked in the household of Potiphar.
Joseph was a man of character…but he couldn’t seem to catch a break
Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of assaulting her — Potiphar sent Joseph to prison and threw away the key
Then through an unlikely turn of events (40:12ff) he ultimately became a ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Through Joseph’s faithfulness, we see that God still worked everything for good in spite of the difficulties Joseph faced. We can trust God to do that in our lives too.
Throughout Joseph’s life, from the age of 17, he face many desperate situations, yet he remained faithful to God
God remained faithful to Joseph, while allowing him to face these many trials
Transitional: I want to encourage you today with some timely reminders inspired by the life of Joseph
When you go through last straw seasons, God is with you
When you go through last straw seasons, God is with you
Have you been dealt a bad hand, given a tough row to hoe, a heavy cross to bear, or a fate worse than death?
Listen to what God said to Jacob (Joseph’s father) when he was a young man
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Whatever you are facing today or might face tomorrow, please have faith in your God — He is with you and He won’t leave you
The promise He made to Joshua is the same promise He makes to us today
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
God is with you…hang on to Him...
God brings good out of last straw seasons
God brings good out of last straw seasons
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
This means that no matter the circumstance, there are only two qualifiers for God to work all things together for our good.
Love God
Called according to His purpose
We are all called b/c God is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to know Jesus through faith and surrender to Him.
God will work it out for your good...
When you have faced abuse
When you have been hated and rejected
When you feel like you have no control over the situation
God will work it out for your good....
When you have been falsely accused
When you suffer through no fault of your own
Joseph faced one hopeless situation after another; he was abused, hated, rejected, placed into slavery, falsely accused, wrongly imprisoned - he knew all about last straw seasons and reaching the end of one’s rope
God used all of it to develop and prepare him to see many lives saved
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
God brings good out of self-inflicted last straw seasons (a.k.a., sin, rebellion, addictions, etc.)
God brings good out of self-inflicted last straw seasons (a.k.a., sin, rebellion, addictions, etc.)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God works things out for good, for those who love God with humble and repentant hearts...
Despite your past sins
Despite your past excuses
Despite your past failures
Joseph’s brothers were forced to face their past sins…sins that most people would never forgive
When they asked for mercy, Joseph forgave them
God blessed them, despite their past…they came with repentant hearts
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God works things out for good, for those who love God with humble and repentant hearts...
When you are confused and uncertain
When you call upon Him with your whole heart
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Here’s what we need to embrace today and live out tomorrow and the days to come:
“Last Straw” seasons can spark new joy, hope, and passion for God as you place your faith in God’s perfect plan and remain faithful to Him, no matter how impossible things may seem at the time
When you face difficult seasons knowing God has a plan, you can rest assured that He will work everything out for your good and that everything will be alright
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Play “Be Alright” music video (Start right after I finish reading Romans 8:35-39)
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