God Takes the Lead

I’ve been reading in the Old Testament tonight in search of an idea and a thought for this post.  I began in Genesis and I’m still there.  Around Chapter 45 it hit me how God has taken the lead thus far in establishing mankind on planet Earth. 

At the moment I’m reading the story of Joseph and his 11 brothers. The story goes like this:

Joseph was favored by his mother Rachel and father Jacob.  His mother made him that famous coat of many colors.  His brothers became jealous of Joseph and eventually sold him to a traveling caravan and reported him abducted by wolves to their father

Meanwhile Joseph ended up in Egypt as 2^nd in rank only to the Pharaoh himself.  

Now about this time a great famine was predicted in a dream that was going to sweep the land.  Joseph properly interpreted this dream for Pharaoh and was thus put in as 2^nd in command. 

The drought came, crops dried up, there was little or no rain and things were tough all over.  However, in Egypt, where Joseph ruled, they had the foresight to stockpile great storehouses of grain for the people.

His brothers came seeking grain.  Finally he revealed himself to them as their long lost brother.  His words struck me tonight –

“Do not grieve yourselves over what you have done, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

 

You see, God took the lead well in advance of the draught, the dry season and the burned up crops.  He put His man in place as a savior/redeemer for those people in that place and time.

And today, we wonder if God is still in the lead, don’t we?  We question if God knows what is going on in our world.  Did He see what happened in Paris last weekend with 130 dead and countless more wounded?  And don’t forget the attack in Mali just a few days ago.

What in the world is going on and where is God in the middle of all of this?

Good question.  Where is God indeed!

He is in the middle of all of it just as He always has been.  He has boots on the ground all around those places.  Even in the middle of tragedy there is hope. 

I heard of a lady who died in the Paris attack who used her body to shield a five-year-old boy who survived that chaos.  And there are stories yet to be told of how God is working in the middle of all of this madness. 

We are not promised to be free from pain and sorrow.  We ARE promised that He will be with us in the middle of it all.  And He goes ahead of us.  He takes the lead.

~Joshua 1:9 reminds us that God will be with us wherever we go, just as he was with Joshua at the death of Moses when he was about to lead the Israelites out of the wilderness into the promised land.

Just take a look at this handful of scriptures that speak of God being with us in the middle of fear and anxiety.

~Isaiah 41:10:  Don’t fear. I am with you. I will strengthen you.

~Psalm 56:3:  When afraid, I put my trust in God.

~Philippians 4:6-7:  Don’t be anxious or worried.  Trust God, and the His peace will guard your hearts and minds.

~Psalm 94:19:  When anxiety mounts, God’s comfort and peace bring on the joy.

~Isaiah 43:1:  Don’t fear. I have redeemed you; I call you by name.

And the list goes on.

When facing times of testing, God is in the lead.  He goes before us.  He prepares the land, the table, the situation.  He works behind the scenes. 

What an amazing concept of hope and grace for us today.

Be encouraged.

And in this season of Thanksgiving – give thanks to God for all things.

P Michael Biggs

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