The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly unto them” (Genesis 50:20-21).

Joseph had been deeply wounded by his wicked brothers. Coldheartedly he had been sold to the passing Ishmaelite merchantmen who then sold him into slavery in Egypt. Through a turnabout that was nothing short of the incredible hand of God, Joseph eventually became second in command, just under the authority of Pharaoh. Time passed and Joseph’s father died. Finally, this could have been the prime time for Joseph to seek revenge on his brothers. But as you know, he not only did not avenge himself for the misery he had endured because of them, he treated them kindly and extended grace. “You thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.” This could have been the prime time for Joseph to finally seek revenge on his brothers. He didn’t minimize their sin. Yet on the other hand, he never wasted his time by seeking to get even. What a model for us today.

For today: How will this play out in your life today? Is there someone who meant it for evil, but God worked it out for good? I suspect there are many who can identify with this.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

It is stated in a profoundly simple way, and yet the message is simply profound. Dr. Henry Morris says, “This opening verse of the Bible is unique, the foundation of foundations.” What profound truth. The Bible doesn’t seek to prove the existence of our awesome God. It simply proclaims that He is. What security. What majesty. What stability in my life. If my great God could bring the vast galaxies into existence by simply speaking, I know that He can take care of those that I love as well as myself. God is in control of space (the heaven), time (the beginning), and matter (the earth). You can never think too highly of Him. Never!

For today: I am glad to have such a foundation as “In the beginning God…” How about you?

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“Well, I am not a sinner!” she loudly proclaimed. “I am a good person. I’ve always been a good person,” the lady protested to both of the ladies who were following up in a personal visit. “Listen. I like your church. I even enjoyed your service that I visited. But I am not going back there ever again. I don’t like being called a sinner. Why, I’ve given large amounts of money to feed the poor. I contributed to the building of libraries. I even secretly gave a donation to help people overseas,” the lady said as she folded her hands. Fortunately the ladies were not flustered. The conversation was sweet as Brenda said, “I am a sinner. I’ve lied. I’ve had bad thoughts. I’ve been unthankful at times.” She listed several more situations and then brought it back to the self-righteous lady by asking this question. “Do you think it is a sin to say that the Bible is wrong?” There was silence for a moment. Brenda then said, “You said you are not a sinner. Let me show you Romans 3:23. Your statement shows that you, too, are a sinner,” Brenda said quietly. Instantly the lady was stricken and convicted. The message of the gospel is offensive to those who are self-righteous. But to those of us who know Christ, the truth of Romans 3:23 propels us to proclaim the need we have for the Savior.

For today: How does this affect you today? Aren’t you glad that the Lord Jesus is our Savior?

“He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11).

“It is a matter of relationship,” Ryan said. “This past Sunday I heard Pastor Kenward speaking of his grandfather who became a justice of the peace. What a perfect illustration of the Lord. Listen, Ernie, and think of this,” Ryan said as he adjusted his position near Ernie. He wanted to look him in the eye. He continued, “Pastor Kenward spoke of those who were guilty and stood before the justice of the peace to be sentenced. They feared Justice Kenward. But as a little boy, Pastor Kenward would later go into his grandfather’s chamber and stand beside him as he wrote the paper work. He wasn’t afraid of the justice of the peace because he was related to him. He was his own! It is the same with the Lord, Ernie. On one hand, the Lord’s awesome wrath will cause the wicked to be in terror of His holiness as they stand before Him at the Great White Throne. But we, on the other hand, have His amazing tender love because we are His own. He treats us carefully and gently as a wonderful, wonderful Shepherd. I am glad to know Him, Ernie. How about you?”

For today: It is wonderful to know Him as Savior and to experience His care as a great Shepherd.

“In the day of my trouble I sought the LORD…I remembered God” (Psalm 77:2,3).

Written by Asaph, this Psalm speaks to the heart of the issue of how to respond to the LORD. Asaph was going through some kind of situation that was difficult. Maybe it was even more than just difficult! He speaks about trouble (77:2) and uses the Hebrew word tsarah. This same word can speak of affliction, adversity or anguish. When trouble comes, it is never the right choice to become angry, bitter, and resentful toward the Lord. Rather, we need to be as wise as Asaph who sought the Lord and remembered Him. Literally, he ran to the Lord instead of turning away from Him.

For today: It is not a question of if trouble will come. It is only a question of how we will respond to the Lord when it does!