015, Thursday, January 15, 2009

015 Genesis 37 - 39; John 9
Joseph’s brothers had the “but Dad always loved you more” syndrome. In this case they had it right. Did their Dad loving their brother more require them to sell Joseph into slavery? No! Yet we will find out later that all of this was in God’s plans. We quickly pick up the story of Joseph again as he has now been sold to an Egyptian named Potiphar, an official in Pharaoh’s court. This official recognized that God was with Joseph. Do people recognize that God is with you? Do you recognize that God is with you?

It was too good to be true. Everything was going so well but Potiphar’s wife wanted to play “Yahtzee” with Joseph (i.e. have sex with him). Joseph fled from her and yet she lied and said he tried to have sex with her. Joseph was an innocent man that is now in jail. Joseph was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, day. We find these words again, “God was with him.” Circumstances would say “no God is not with him” but the Word of God says, “God was with him.”

Looking at the reading in John we find this amazing story of a blind man being healed on the Sabbath. There was no rejoicing in the religious ranks. There were only investigations, accusations, and consternations going on in their ranks. It would seem someone could have been happy for him. But no! They were more interested in the rules instead of God’s power to heal. The formerly blind man tells them in the final question and answer time; “All I know is once I was blind and now I see.” Jesus had healed this blind man and that was too much for the religious crowd to take.

People will doubt us when we may say that once I was blind but now I see. Once I thought I could work my way into heaven but now I know that it is by God’s grace in Christ that I get to heaven. Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.