Today’s Readings: Genesis 41-42; Mark 16
Great readings today in some of the most impactful chapters in the Bible.
One of my favorite Bible stories is about Joseph. Not Joseph, Jesus’ Earthly “father,” Joseph the son of Jacob in the Old Testament. Back in Genesis chapter 37, we learned of the story of Joseph’s brothers jealousy and hatred for him, due to the favoritism and love that their father, Jacob, showed for him. As a result, the brothers sold Joseph into slavery, thinking they would never see him again.
Fast forward to chapter 41, Joseph rose from slavery to be the chief of Pharaoh’s business affairs because he was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. Essentially, Joseph predicted the coming famine and saved the Egyptian people and Pharaoh’s kingdom. By saving grain and food during seven years of extreme prosperity, Joseph was able to preserve the kingdom during seven years of famine.
During the famine, Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to buy grain to save their families from starvation, not knowing it was their brother, who they betrayed, that they were asking for help. The beauty of the story is that rather that rebuke, punish, or kill his brothers, Joseph’s faith in God helped him have mercy on them and ultimately reunited him with his father and family.
Mark 16, arguably one of Christian’s most meaningful books in the Bible, chronicles the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb, as well as His appearances before his followers. After the despair and horrible crucifixion of their Savior, the disciples and followers were able to experience the true meaning of faith when Jesus rose from the dead, just as He predicted He would. At the moment they saw Jesus again, FAITH had true meaning to the disciples and His followers.
This caused me to ask the question “What is true faith in God?” How do we stay strong when times are difficult or push us to fall away from God? Here are my thoughts on true faith in God.
- Trust and Confidence: Faith involves trusting in God’s existence and relying on His guidance, even in times of uncertainty or difficulty.
- Belief in the Unseen: Faith requires a belief in aspects of the divine that may not be directly observable or scientifically proven. It goes beyond empirical evidence and involves a spiritual conviction.
- Devotion and Obedience: Faith is often expressed through devotion to God and a willingness to follow His teachings and commandments. It involves a commitment to living a life aligned with our beliefs, even though it may be very difficult and require sacrifice.
- Hope and Assurance: Faith brings a sense of hope and assurance in the promises of God. It involves confidence in the ultimate goodness, wisdom, and sovereignty of God, even in the face of life’s challenges.
- Relationship with God: Faith is not merely an intellectual acknowledgment but also involves a personal relationship with God. This relationship is nurtured through prayer, worship, and spiritual practices.
Faith is hard. We naturally want to respond to this world the way that our sinful minds push us. Revenge, retribution, wish bad things on people, and the list goes on. Faith is staying true to God’s Word in the face of extreme tribals. Faith is staying the course when we have no idea if what we are doing will pay off.
I am a work in progress. I know what I should do. The challenge is to consistently do it.
Sound familiar?
