God knows where all the puzzle pieces are.

Genesis 45-46 Of all of the stories of the Bible none may be as intricately accounted as the story of Joseph. It has all the makings that authors look for in a bestseller, every facet: intrigue, spies, deceit, hatred, cruelty, tenderness, climax. It has enough plot for three books. Why is this highly detailed recounting in the Scriptures? Joseph’s life is mirrored in the life of Jesus Christ. God wants us to see how much he is aware of each detail of our lives, how he feels the feelings of our infirmities and our broken hearts. When joy comes at the end of Jacob's life (Joseph's father) with the reuniting and reconciliation of all his sons, he can go to his grave in tremendous peace. God knows where all the missing pieces are. God is writing the story of our lives, he has not forgotten where we are and what we are facing. He makes no mistakes and he does not lose pieces of our puzzle.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Romans 14:17 Ever feel that your day was rather empty or worthless? Sometimes we are too busy on our treadmill of life to even notice how we lack peace and joy? It could be that we have rushed into our day without even a moment of reflection and prayer. Busy mornings are common among us. Long commutes to work, fighting rush hour traffic, trying to remember everything needed for the day, trying to keep up on bills, relationships, it’s a “mad, mad world” as someone once said. Believers must take time to connect with God, and unless we do, we will not feel that peace and joy in the Holy Ghost that we long for. Notice how Paul gets things in the right order: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Righteousness, or a right heart and subsequent right decision making is required before we feel that peace and joy. I heard a preacher once tell of his hard working successful father. He said to his son, “always start your day doing the hardest thing first, then your day will go so much better”. For some of us, a bended knee and taking time to read the Word can be hard because our flesh fights against it. It is foreign to our flesh and will be until we have our flesh under control, which is a daily struggle. Even Paul said, “I die daily”. It may never be real easy to put God first, but the things that we desire so deeply in our hearts cannot be attained unless we do.

ALWAYS READY

Genesis 40--When Pharaoh called Joseph out of the prison to interpret his troubling dream, Joseph had little time to prepare. He "hastily" shaved and changed his clothes. Joseph had no warning to be physically or spiritually prepared, but he was ready. All he had to do was clean up a bit. We are to be like that, always ready, always just a few minutes from being presentable to be used on God's behalf. Pharaoh knew Joseph was extraordinary, for he exclaimed to his servants,” can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" Though a heathen, Pharaoh sensed this man was truly from God. Again with us, those that may not know God at all will sense that we are not ordinary but filled with the Spirit of God Almighty. Joseph went from being a prisoner in the morning to being placed in a high command in Pharaoh’s kingdom by the evening. An incredible "rapture" took place in his life. We are to be ready for the coming of the Lord at all times. One of these days we will take one step here and the next in the NEW JERSUALEM! Always be ready for in an hour that you think not, the Son of Man cometh.

DREAMS OF YOUR YOUTH

Genesis 40 --Though Joseph was given the ability to interpret dreams of his fellow prisoners and even of the Pharaoh, he was not given any new dreams or understandings of his own dilemma. He expressed his confusion and frustration to his cellmate, the butler in Gen. 40:15. He had to rely on the dreams of his youth, which made no sense at the time. I'm sure he longed to be given dreams again, but alas, silence prevailed from heaven. We must sometimes hang on to the dreams God gave us in the past and doubt not! As the psalmist wrote in Ps. 23, "though I walk though the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil." David had been called by God to be a king in his youth; he still remembered the feeling of oil dripping from his head as Samuel anointed him. But now he was a hunted man by the current king, Saul. David clung on to the promise and calling he received in his youth. So must we.