"Make Way" (43)

Have you ever felt left out? Have you ever unappreciated? I think most, if not all, of us can relate. Am I correct? How do you respond? Do you retract and shut down like me or do you try to get noticed and grab the attention of those you covet?

Now imagine you were born into a family where you received all the attention and praise of your father but your ten older siblings contrived a plan to kill you. Their jealousy burned out against you. Only because of God’s grace does the eldest rescue you from being killed and persuade the others to sell you into slavery. I have to say, I’d rather experience the former than this. But if God allows you to experience the abandonment and such severe rejection especially from those you would think would love you the most, should we not feel utter disparity? Of course we should. It is natural. But what is supernatural is knowing that His plan oversees your greatest fears or your enemies' plots to ruin you. In fact I would suggest the greater the plans to destroy you, the greater His plans are to resurrect and restore you for His glory.

I am reminded of a conversation years ago with my great-grandmother Ethel. I was heading home from a long and stressful day of work. Customers were unappreciative, management offered no condolences, and I was struggling with my identity in Christ. She was now in her nineties and just hearing her voice would be a relief. I also wanted to soak up as much time as I could with her before the Lord may take her. I placed the call from Michigan to Hemet, California. She was delighted to hear my voice and she immediately asked how I was doing. Because I cherished her and trusted her with anything, I was frank with my “disparity”. Unexpectedly, she responded with almost an overwhelming amount of joy, the kind that can easily irritate you. “Take joy, my grandson! ‘Consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds.’ This testing will help your faith develop perseverance so that you may be mature, complete, and not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).

I realized she was right. This is the very same reason why Steven Curtis Chapman wrote "Bring It On".

Even though Joseph was sold into slavery, he trusted his heavenly Father to care for him. Did Joseph really know that God's plan was to place him as second-in-command over Egypt? Furthermore, did he expect to have influence that would impact thousands, if not millions, as well as save his family from peril from the coming famine? He simply trusted in His God.

When troubles find you, take heart and be prepared to proclaim His glory.

⁴¹ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” ⁴² Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³ He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

~Genesis 41:41-43

43 days!