The story of Joseph continues today. Joseph was sold as a slave to Egypt by his brothers. Before he was sent off, Joseph was loved the most among his brothers by their father. He had a dream and was filled with hope. At home, he was treated like a prince. Then all of a sudden, he was sold and became a slave in someone else’s home-he must have been shocked. One who experience sudden change in status or environment face a great shock. Some people faint, become paralyzed, experience insomnia, or get diagnosed with a mental problem due to the sudden great shock. However, I believe that those who truly believe in Christ become stronger not weaker in the sudden change in circumstance. Because “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. We shared a story on Thursday during Bible study: There was a man who was blind from birth. People asked Jesus, “Why is the man blind? Is it because of his sins or the sins of his parents?” We tend to think that an accident occurs or one is ill because of someone’s mistake. However, Jesus said, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life”. Difficulty brings an opportunity to see God’s work. This is Christian’s perspective on life. If we truly look at life as Jesus did, we would not be filled with distress and give up on life when difficulty face us.
Let’s take a look at verses 1 and 2: 1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
There was no one to help Joseph. He had no future. He could not predict his destiny. In this situation, we can ask two questions: First, “Why did this occur?” What did Joseph do wrong to face this kind of distress? Joseph is not the answer. The cause of your suffering is not you. The answer to the question is God. Difficult circumstances as this occur in our lifetime. In those moments, we want God to explain the reasons for the sufferings. How grateful would it be for God to tell Joseph ahead of time that His plan was to raise him up higher than Pharaoh’s officials? If God gave a hint, 13 years of pain would not have been so difficult. However, Joseph did not know that God’s plan was to raise him to become the second to highest in power of Egypt within 30 years. Bad things seem to happen to good people. Believe that God’s providence is there. We can escape from fear and suffering when we believe that God’s hands are on us. This leads to the second question.
The second question we may ask is, “Out of all the houses, how did Joseph end up in the house of Pharaoh’s official?” The answer to this question is not Potiphar but God. Potiphar’s house was chosen so Joseph can meet the Pharaoh. Here we see God’s invisible providence. Know that God works and leads His people even in times we cannot feel or see Him. Joseph seems to be unfortunate to be sold off as a slave by his brothers before the age of 20. He could have cried after being sold by his brother. However, the Bible does not state that he cried or lamented. Joseph endured the suffering as the slave. Few moments ago, he used to wear a colorful robe. Now he wore a slave’s clothes. He did not own any possession. His life and death was determined by the owner. In this difficult and rough situation, verse 2 of today’s passage says that Joseph prospered. No matter how much I read this verse, I cannot understand this statement. How can Joseph’s current circumstance be the form of a prosperous person? If Joseph was really filled by God’s grace, shouldn’t he have been able to escape and return back home? How can someone who prospered be suffering? If Joseph was prosperous, instead of Pharaoh’s official, he should have met the Pharaoh himself or not work as a servant but be served. However, he was a servant. The Egyptian became Joseph’s owner. God wanted to do something through Joseph while he was there. God does not like seeing his people being stuck in a corner, shaking, and being anxious. God also does not want us to eat and play.
You have probably heard about Warren Edward Buffett, the second wealthiest man on Earth. When he gave 85% of his possession, about 31 billion dollars, to the community, news reporters asked him, “Why did you invest your money on the community instead of passing it down to your children?” Then he replied, “I gave to my children. I gave enough for them to eat and live; I did not give them enough to eat and play.” He is a wise father. Many children of wealthy family fail because they only eat and play. Warren’s children probably will not fail. God does not give us so we could eat and play. We need to make an effort; we need to sweat and be tense in our life. This way we can be a proper person. One does not gain a built body without sweating and exercising. Muscles do not form without carrying something heavy. In this aspect, suffering is beneficial to our faith. We need to endure the suffering. This is the reason God left Joseph in that situation.
The Bible repetitively says that God was with Joseph (verses 2, 3, 21, 23…) This is the secret to life of faith. You are pitiful if you are in church but not with God. In the other hand, you are victorious even if you are in the corners of Africa as long as God is with you. If one lives as one pleases in the Promised Land, one’s life will be unfortunate. Oppositely, even if one is in Egypt as a slave, if God is there, he or she will be blessed. God did not prevent Joseph from becoming a slave of an Egyptian. The sound of thunder from the sky to kill the slave owner and sending a tornado to blow Joseph back home seems good. God did not do that. Instead, God was with him. The Bible repetitively says that God was with him in Canaan, in Egypt, when he was at peace, and when he was suffering. Do not let go of this. Even more important fact is that a foreigner Potiphar saw that God was with Joseph. This is the hope of our prayer. The world must know that I love God and that God loves me. The Bible says the Egyptian knew that God was behind that foreign slave. God filled him with grace and made him prosper.
Change your perception on prosper. When people say, “Make me prosper,” they think of business doing well or having a healthy body. However, it is not so. Overcoming suffering, this is truly becoming prosperous. We often sing the hymn (pg434), “All the way my Savior leads me; what have I to ask beside? Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in Him to dwell; for I know whatever befall me, Jesus do all things well.” Do not be mistaken. Doing all things well does not signify being healthy, making a lot of money, and not becoming a servant. You may become a slave like Joseph, work abundantly, and be in the lowest social status but be prosperous. When God is with us, we will gain the strength to overcome the suffering. We do not fear even when death approaches. Joseph was sold into the house of Potiphar, but God went with him, and despite the status of a slave, he lived like the owner. This is becoming prosperous; God was with him. God being with us guarantees victory and grace. There are many sports team in the United States. There are two ways to win the game. First is to become the best player. Then one would win. However, someone with a poor physical body cannot win. There is a limit to one’s capabilities. Then what can be done? The one with a poor physical body could join the team with the best players. If I was in the same team as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neil, I would win. We must be on Jesus’ side. Proverbs 3:6 says, “in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” No one who walk with God is lost. Moses led 1.5 million Israelites out of Egypt. He was not able to do this because he studied well or because he was physically strong. He did not learn magic. God did it. Exodus 33:14 says, “The LORD replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” God is with us; this is the best thing we can ask for. As long as we depend on God, He is with us.
It is written in verses 4-6 of today’s passage: 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
Remember this: If Joseph tried to run away and did not obey, he would not have been able to fulfill God’s work. Even in the unfortunate circumstance, he did his best as the slave. His job as a slave must have been difficult. He did not work only when Potiphar was seeing, but he sincerely worked hard. He was honest. Potiphar eventually entrusted Joseph of everything he owned. The Pharaoh’s official probably had many slaves, and entrusted everything he possessed shows great trust in Joseph. Surprisingly, afterwards, Potiphar’s house was blessed by God. Not only his house, but he harvested more crops than usual. The Bible says that Potiphar was blessed because of Joseph. If you want to live a life of a successful Christian, worship God properly. No one who carelessly and simply worships by form live a proper life of faith. Successful Christian are influential at home and at work. Serving God at church is important, but that is not all; you must not live as you please outside church. Preaching, evangelizing, and praying, it is all important. But do not think little of the work you do outside of church. Even though Joseph worked as a slave, when he worked in the name of the Lord, it became the work of God. Do not think that working at church only counts. For this reason, the Bible says that whether you eat, play, drink, or go on a vacation, do it all in the glory of God. Those who live a proper life as Christian do not use others but others are blessed because of me. There were two deacons who did not have a good relation. One deacon prayed to God, “Please, let me do well in all I do.” Then God replied, “I will give you what you ask. But I will give the other deacon twice as much as you ask.” After thinking, the deacon prayed to God, “Lord, take one of my arm away.” How terrible. The characteristic of true blessing is seen when others are blessed through you. When we all live like Joseph, the world will change. I pray that we will be renewed and the world we live in will be renewed.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sept 27 (Genesis 38:12-19) Despite All Flaws
God did not make any mistake when making humans. Take a look at each other. No one is exactly the same; it is not a mistake. God does not make a mistake. If human cloned a man, he or she would be proud whether the cloned man is flawed. However, it is God who made us and he never makes a mistake. Do any of you wonder, “Celebrities in TV are pretty, but why did God make me look like this?” God made you the way you are for a reason. Everything changed after the people God made in Eden committed sins. Relationship between humans and God ended and the earth was cursed. Humans created in the image of God became sinners and bore sinners-for this reason, Cain who never learned to kill murdered his brother. When flaws are revealed, we become enemies with God and live in sin. Jacob had 12 sons. The eleventh son was Joseph. His brothers envied and hated him. When they plotted to kill him, Judah, one of the brothers said, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him.” So Joseph was not killed but sold as a slave. Judah seems loyal as a brother compared to others. However, Genesis 38 reveals a great flaw. Bible is an honest book; it does not only record good stories. The Bible records the truth. As Joseph’s story is opening up, today’s passage about Judah seems unrelated. Furthermore, today’s story concerns shameful and immortal behavior between father-in-law and daughter-in-law. However, the story contains a personal message of redemption that reveals God’s grace, promise, and His fulfillment. Today we will see Judah’s terrible mistake and flaw.
Judah’s first flaw was disobedience and leaving his brothers. It is written in verses 1 and 2: 1At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. 2There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and lay with her;
Judah was suppose to live with his brothers; however, he left them. Jacob’s daughter Dinah once went out into the world out of curiosity, and the consequences were being raped and risking going into a war. Judah went out; this is where the problem began. He went to Canaan, met the daughter of a man named Shua, married her, and lay with her. Her name is not even recorded in the Bible. Throughout Judah’s life, he never prayed concerning his marriage. Judah knew who Israelites must marry through Jacob, but without thinking, he married the Canaanite girl because of her beauty. Because he left his brothers, there was no one to rebuke him. If you leave the church, no one will correct you. At times, you may feel like you are being rebuked or scolded when you listen to sermon. So some people leave the church. The thought of no one correcting you sound pleasing. Some call the church an ark. Just as Noah’s ark saved him and his family, some pray that their church would become an ark that saves many people-it is a good prayer. Remember this: Noah’s ark was not silent and quiet. The animals created a lot of noises and smells. Still, the family came into the ark and lived there because it was the only way to life. If we leave the community of faith, we will face a crisis. Without doubt scandals, jealousy, and envy arise in church. For this reason, at times people leave the church in despair. Still, we must stay in the church. If you leave the community of faith, you may make a similar mistake as Judah. Even though Judah’s brothers had problems, the land where they lived was the Land of Promise by the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. However, Judah ran away from that. He gave up the community of faith, community of family, and the land of God’s promise and went to a foreign world in order to look for happiness on his own. At that moment, Judah’s spirituality hardened. Judah seems to make the wisest choice, but in fact, he made the stupidest choice.
Judah’s second flaw is written in verses 3-5: 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. 4 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. 5 She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.
Judah gave birth to three sons; he must have been happy. However, Judah was not spiritually mature enough to raise the children in spirituality. He could not even control himself. As a result, when the first child grew up, he gave a Canaanite woman for marriage. Her name was Tamar. They must not marry Canaanites for they worshipped idols and did not fear God. Without asking God, Judah married a Canaanite and allowed his first son to do the same. God did not leave them alone.
It is written in verse 7: 7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death. God put the wicked son to death.
As soon as they married, before even bearing a son, Er died. Tamar suddenly became a young widow. Instead of coming back to his senses, Judah took his second son Onan and told him to lie with his brother’s wife to fulfill the duty as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for his brother. Onan was also a young man. The custom back in those days was for the younger brother to fulfill the duty to produce offspring if the older brother died before bearing a child. However, Onan simply satisfied his sexual desires but did not bear any child for his children for they would not be his child-this attitude displeased God.
It is written in verse 10: What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so he put him to death also.
Two of Judah’s sons suddenly died. Tamar was left alone and Shelah, the third sons, was still in his teens. The deaths of two sons were the consequences of their evil behaviors. Judah did not raise their children properly; he did not properly teach them faith. The children’s behaviors were passed on by their father. How did Judah live? This is the topic parents must pay attention to. Many parents say, “Do not become like me.” However, this is not easy. Because children grow based on what they see. Judah’s poor parenting led his children to misbehave. Children tend to learn more from actions than words. Children see how parents overcome a financial crisis. They see how parents spend their money. Children see who their parents turn to and depend on; children never forget seeing their parents getting on their knees and praying to God. Someone came into the store and caused a commotion to the owner. The owner’s son was so angry he wanted to shoot him if he had a gun. However, the father walked behind the store. When the son followed behind, he saw his father praying. The father prayed, “God, give me the strength to overcome this. Lord, I depend only on you”. The son never forgot seeing his father pray. Children know when their parents smile in front but curse from behind. Judah’s children died for living as their father did; this was Judah’s flaw.
His third flaw was lying. It is written in verse 11: 11Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.
The third son must grow and bear child with Tamar because his two older brothers died. However, Judah thought his third son would also die. So he told her to go back to her father’s home until his son grew. He lied to her. Judah never called Tamar after Shelah grew. It is written in verse 14: 14 she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. He did not keep his promise; he lied. Judah did not think about God’s will but his own thoughts came before that of God and he did not pray to God.
Verses 15 and 16 reveals another flaw: his incapability to control his sexual desires. It is written: 15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “And what will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked.
Judah’s wife died; he became a widower. He traveled far to Timnah to shear his sheep-at that time people gathered and celebrated as they sheared their sheep. He was away from home without a wife and all alone; he was lonely, a perfect moment to be seduced. Those who go on business trips: be careful. Temptations can rise where there is no sibling or family. Judah was in that moment. After shearing his sheep, Judah was bored. When he came out, he saw a woman who looked like a prostitute. The woman covered her face, so he did not recognize her, but she was his daughter-in-law. When she heard that Judah was coming, she got in disguise. Judah’s process of sinning began when he stood in the streets alone where he could be lured. Then he locked his eyes at the wrong things. I hope you would be careful in where you lay your eyes for even those who believed in Christ all their life can commit sins in just a moment. Your position in church does not matter. We can fall if we do not stay cautious. Judah is an example. If the wife died, is it okay to sleep with a prostitute? He knew he would be committing adultery for he learned from his father. Judah approached the woman. The woman did not lure him. Judah did not commit the sin because of the prostitute. He promised her a goat for a night with her. Because he did not have a goat with him, Tamar asked for Judah’s seal and its cord, and the staff as a pledge until she received the goat. He gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant. Remember this: Judah was wrong, but Tamar also was wrong. The purpose for Tamar was to bear a child to continue the family line of God. However, the process was embarrassing and disgraceful. The process must be proper. The Bible recorded this terrible story. Proverbs 16:8 says, “Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.” Be thorough concerning the problems of sexual desires. Many Christians fall because of sexual desires. Afterwards, Judah sent his friend Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman. Do not have a friend like Adullamite. Instead of rebuking Judah, he obeyed. Make a friend who would tell you the truth. However, the friend did not find her. Judah probably thought his sins would be hidden. Luke 12:3 says, 3What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. The dirty words spoken silently are heard loudly in the heaven. After several months, in verse 24, Judah’s sins were revealed. It is written, “About three months later Judah was told, ‘Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.’ Judah said, ‘Bring her out and have her burned to death!’”
He hears the news that Tamar who was at her father’s home was pregnant. Judah immediately judged that she made a mistake. Leviticus 20:14 says that one who commits adultery must be burned to death. Judah was angry. However, he was not worthy to be angry at her. Judah knew God’s laws so he yelled at Tamar. He acted as if he was righteous for the truth was hidden. It is written in John. A prostitute was caught and brought before Jesus. “She must be stoned” people cried, but Jesus said that those who did not sin could throw rocks at her. The Bible said that the eldest left the area first- probably because the adults committed more sins.
It is written in verse 25: As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.”
Judah was finally shamed because of his sins. Tamar was brought before Judah. As soon as Judah saw the seal, cord, and the staff Tamar laid down, Judah’s face probably turned pale. He was shamed before many people. How should you behave in this embarrassing situation? You must kneel down and repent. When David saw a woman, he planned the war so her husband would be killed, then he married her. Then the prophet came to David. The prophet said, “A rich man had many sheep, but when he had a guest over, he took a sheep from a poor man and served his guest.” David was angry and was determined to punish the man. When the prophet said that the man was David, he repented immediately. He got on his knees and cried. Judah admitted the items belonged to him. Know that your way to life is to confess and repent to God. Then he did not sleep with her again. This is not the conclusion to the story. A twin is born from Tarmar: Perez and Zerah. It is recorded in Matthew 1:3, “Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,” Long after in that linage, Jesus was born. It is surprising that Jesus was born from a improper relationship. They had flaws and acted like prostitutes. Do you think we are better than Judah? We may have not slept with a prostitute. However, we spiritually committed adultery many times. We are no better than Judah. Still, God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall have eternal life. Ephesians 2:1 says, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins”. But God saved us. This is true grace. No one here is worthy to stand before God. Those who believe they are worthy are not worthy because of the belief they are worthy. Jesus was born through Judah, even though Judah had many flaws. Why was Jesus born from someone like Tamar and Judah and not someone righteous? It is to include someone similar to them, someone similar to us. God wants to save us even though we are filled with flaws. We thank God because even though we have more flaws than Judah, God still love us; we live by God’s grace. Because you believe in Christ, I pray that you would not live a worthless life, but life a worthy life being used by God.
Judah’s first flaw was disobedience and leaving his brothers. It is written in verses 1 and 2: 1At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. 2There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and lay with her;
Judah was suppose to live with his brothers; however, he left them. Jacob’s daughter Dinah once went out into the world out of curiosity, and the consequences were being raped and risking going into a war. Judah went out; this is where the problem began. He went to Canaan, met the daughter of a man named Shua, married her, and lay with her. Her name is not even recorded in the Bible. Throughout Judah’s life, he never prayed concerning his marriage. Judah knew who Israelites must marry through Jacob, but without thinking, he married the Canaanite girl because of her beauty. Because he left his brothers, there was no one to rebuke him. If you leave the church, no one will correct you. At times, you may feel like you are being rebuked or scolded when you listen to sermon. So some people leave the church. The thought of no one correcting you sound pleasing. Some call the church an ark. Just as Noah’s ark saved him and his family, some pray that their church would become an ark that saves many people-it is a good prayer. Remember this: Noah’s ark was not silent and quiet. The animals created a lot of noises and smells. Still, the family came into the ark and lived there because it was the only way to life. If we leave the community of faith, we will face a crisis. Without doubt scandals, jealousy, and envy arise in church. For this reason, at times people leave the church in despair. Still, we must stay in the church. If you leave the community of faith, you may make a similar mistake as Judah. Even though Judah’s brothers had problems, the land where they lived was the Land of Promise by the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. However, Judah ran away from that. He gave up the community of faith, community of family, and the land of God’s promise and went to a foreign world in order to look for happiness on his own. At that moment, Judah’s spirituality hardened. Judah seems to make the wisest choice, but in fact, he made the stupidest choice.
Judah’s second flaw is written in verses 3-5: 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. 4 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. 5 She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.
Judah gave birth to three sons; he must have been happy. However, Judah was not spiritually mature enough to raise the children in spirituality. He could not even control himself. As a result, when the first child grew up, he gave a Canaanite woman for marriage. Her name was Tamar. They must not marry Canaanites for they worshipped idols and did not fear God. Without asking God, Judah married a Canaanite and allowed his first son to do the same. God did not leave them alone.
It is written in verse 7: 7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death. God put the wicked son to death.
As soon as they married, before even bearing a son, Er died. Tamar suddenly became a young widow. Instead of coming back to his senses, Judah took his second son Onan and told him to lie with his brother’s wife to fulfill the duty as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for his brother. Onan was also a young man. The custom back in those days was for the younger brother to fulfill the duty to produce offspring if the older brother died before bearing a child. However, Onan simply satisfied his sexual desires but did not bear any child for his children for they would not be his child-this attitude displeased God.
It is written in verse 10: What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so he put him to death also.
Two of Judah’s sons suddenly died. Tamar was left alone and Shelah, the third sons, was still in his teens. The deaths of two sons were the consequences of their evil behaviors. Judah did not raise their children properly; he did not properly teach them faith. The children’s behaviors were passed on by their father. How did Judah live? This is the topic parents must pay attention to. Many parents say, “Do not become like me.” However, this is not easy. Because children grow based on what they see. Judah’s poor parenting led his children to misbehave. Children tend to learn more from actions than words. Children see how parents overcome a financial crisis. They see how parents spend their money. Children see who their parents turn to and depend on; children never forget seeing their parents getting on their knees and praying to God. Someone came into the store and caused a commotion to the owner. The owner’s son was so angry he wanted to shoot him if he had a gun. However, the father walked behind the store. When the son followed behind, he saw his father praying. The father prayed, “God, give me the strength to overcome this. Lord, I depend only on you”. The son never forgot seeing his father pray. Children know when their parents smile in front but curse from behind. Judah’s children died for living as their father did; this was Judah’s flaw.
His third flaw was lying. It is written in verse 11: 11Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.
The third son must grow and bear child with Tamar because his two older brothers died. However, Judah thought his third son would also die. So he told her to go back to her father’s home until his son grew. He lied to her. Judah never called Tamar after Shelah grew. It is written in verse 14: 14 she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. He did not keep his promise; he lied. Judah did not think about God’s will but his own thoughts came before that of God and he did not pray to God.
Verses 15 and 16 reveals another flaw: his incapability to control his sexual desires. It is written: 15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “And what will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked.
Judah’s wife died; he became a widower. He traveled far to Timnah to shear his sheep-at that time people gathered and celebrated as they sheared their sheep. He was away from home without a wife and all alone; he was lonely, a perfect moment to be seduced. Those who go on business trips: be careful. Temptations can rise where there is no sibling or family. Judah was in that moment. After shearing his sheep, Judah was bored. When he came out, he saw a woman who looked like a prostitute. The woman covered her face, so he did not recognize her, but she was his daughter-in-law. When she heard that Judah was coming, she got in disguise. Judah’s process of sinning began when he stood in the streets alone where he could be lured. Then he locked his eyes at the wrong things. I hope you would be careful in where you lay your eyes for even those who believed in Christ all their life can commit sins in just a moment. Your position in church does not matter. We can fall if we do not stay cautious. Judah is an example. If the wife died, is it okay to sleep with a prostitute? He knew he would be committing adultery for he learned from his father. Judah approached the woman. The woman did not lure him. Judah did not commit the sin because of the prostitute. He promised her a goat for a night with her. Because he did not have a goat with him, Tamar asked for Judah’s seal and its cord, and the staff as a pledge until she received the goat. He gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant. Remember this: Judah was wrong, but Tamar also was wrong. The purpose for Tamar was to bear a child to continue the family line of God. However, the process was embarrassing and disgraceful. The process must be proper. The Bible recorded this terrible story. Proverbs 16:8 says, “Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.” Be thorough concerning the problems of sexual desires. Many Christians fall because of sexual desires. Afterwards, Judah sent his friend Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman. Do not have a friend like Adullamite. Instead of rebuking Judah, he obeyed. Make a friend who would tell you the truth. However, the friend did not find her. Judah probably thought his sins would be hidden. Luke 12:3 says, 3What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. The dirty words spoken silently are heard loudly in the heaven. After several months, in verse 24, Judah’s sins were revealed. It is written, “About three months later Judah was told, ‘Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.’ Judah said, ‘Bring her out and have her burned to death!’”
He hears the news that Tamar who was at her father’s home was pregnant. Judah immediately judged that she made a mistake. Leviticus 20:14 says that one who commits adultery must be burned to death. Judah was angry. However, he was not worthy to be angry at her. Judah knew God’s laws so he yelled at Tamar. He acted as if he was righteous for the truth was hidden. It is written in John. A prostitute was caught and brought before Jesus. “She must be stoned” people cried, but Jesus said that those who did not sin could throw rocks at her. The Bible said that the eldest left the area first- probably because the adults committed more sins.
It is written in verse 25: As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.”
Judah was finally shamed because of his sins. Tamar was brought before Judah. As soon as Judah saw the seal, cord, and the staff Tamar laid down, Judah’s face probably turned pale. He was shamed before many people. How should you behave in this embarrassing situation? You must kneel down and repent. When David saw a woman, he planned the war so her husband would be killed, then he married her. Then the prophet came to David. The prophet said, “A rich man had many sheep, but when he had a guest over, he took a sheep from a poor man and served his guest.” David was angry and was determined to punish the man. When the prophet said that the man was David, he repented immediately. He got on his knees and cried. Judah admitted the items belonged to him. Know that your way to life is to confess and repent to God. Then he did not sleep with her again. This is not the conclusion to the story. A twin is born from Tarmar: Perez and Zerah. It is recorded in Matthew 1:3, “Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,” Long after in that linage, Jesus was born. It is surprising that Jesus was born from a improper relationship. They had flaws and acted like prostitutes. Do you think we are better than Judah? We may have not slept with a prostitute. However, we spiritually committed adultery many times. We are no better than Judah. Still, God so loved the world he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall have eternal life. Ephesians 2:1 says, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins”. But God saved us. This is true grace. No one here is worthy to stand before God. Those who believe they are worthy are not worthy because of the belief they are worthy. Jesus was born through Judah, even though Judah had many flaws. Why was Jesus born from someone like Tamar and Judah and not someone righteous? It is to include someone similar to them, someone similar to us. God wants to save us even though we are filled with flaws. We thank God because even though we have more flaws than Judah, God still love us; we live by God’s grace. Because you believe in Christ, I pray that you would not live a worthless life, but life a worthy life being used by God.
Sept 20 (Genesis 37:12-36) God's Work in Midst of Suffering
Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
It is written in Psalm 62:1-2: 1My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. 2He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
It is written in Psalm 121:1,4 1I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? 4indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Whoever looks up to God with faith will be helped by God and will be granted success. However, whoever looks only at circumstances and the problems will be overcome by the circumstances, fall deep into the problems, and ultimately fail. The Bible says that God’s knowledge is higher and deeper than ours. Therefore, Christians must depend on God and lean on God’s assistance. This is faith.
Joseph is a man of dreams. His life was deeply related to dreams. In Genesis 37:5, Joseph spoke of two of his dreams. His nickname was the dreamer. However, because of his dreams, Joseph was hated by his brothers-it was the start of his sufferings.
It is written in verses 12 and 13: 12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.” “Very well,” he replied.
Do you remember Shechem? It was the land where Jacob’s daughter Dinah was raped. Because of the accident, Jacob’s two sons tricked Hamor’s family and all the men in getting circumcised to kill them. Jacob who feared revenge met God as he fled. However, Jacob’s sons were grazing the flock near Shechem. They were grazing the flock in a dangerous region. For this reason, Jacob told Joseph to see how his brothers were doing. Some say Jacob’s favoritism is revealed here also; while Joseph’s brothers were tending sheep in a dangerous land, Joseph and his father was home. Anyway, Joseph obeyed. Obey whether you want to do the job or not. “I don’t have time”, “I don’t have the money”, “I am unhealthy” - do not make excuses. Take a look at Joseph. Through his short reply, his holy, obedient, honest, and pure character is revealed. God can easily use those who obey but it is difficult for God to use those who complain often. I pray that you would be among the people God can easily use. According to Isaiah 6:8, Isaiah replied to God’s calling, “Here am I. Send me!” Take a look at Acts 20:23-24. Saint Paul was in journey to death. Paul knew death was waiting for Paul in Jerusalem. However, Paul confessed, “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Paul was determined to not back down and turn back when it came to God’s work. Joseph also had this foundational characteristic of a person of faith.
It is written in verse 14: So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
Through Joseph’s obedience, I want to share three different prayer topics with you: “Give me the honest spirit”, “help me live my life dreaming Your dream”, and “help me live in obedience towards you for the rest of my life”.
It is written in verses 15-17: 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16 He replied, “I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?” 17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.
Joseph did not return home and tell his father, “I did not find them, but I heard they are headed to Dothan.” He looked for his brother. However, this message confuses us. Shouldn’t good things happen when one obeys? The end of Joseph’s obedience was not blessings. Joseph’s brothers did not welcome him. Instead, they plotted to kill him.
It is written in verses 18-20: 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
The brothers were not concerned with the message Joseph could have brought. They plotted to kill him as soon as they saw him. We see the extent of the hatred of Joseph’s brothers. How did the anger get this far? First, Jacob’s favoritism led for the brothers to have Joseph. If the father does not take his part properly, tensions will rise between the children. Second, Joseph’s dreams led his brothers to hate him. The brothers said to each other, “let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams”. The brothers held a grudge against Joseph. Here we see the one with a dream colliding with trials. Christian who truly try to live by God’s will face these trials. Joseph’s brothers tried to kill him. They planned to throw him in the cistern and lie to their father. However, the brothers’ opinions conflicted.
It is written in verses 21 and 22: 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him.”
Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. The eldest brother held a different position. He agreed to punish Joseph but to not take his life. However, if Joseph’s life was spared, wouldn’t he tell on them to their father? For this reason, some argued that they should not spare his life. There was nothing else Reuben could do but agree. That is the characteristic of a large group of people. If the atmosphere is set, there is not much the minority can do. However, Reuben argued to spare Joseph’s life.
It is written in verses 23-24: 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing- 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
How shocked Joseph must have been! This is the shock an innocent person has in the dark world. However, it is strange that an evil person live a better and healthier life than a pure person. A psalmist sang concerning this matter. Wouldn’t the innocent be tempted by God when things do not work well on top of living a lonely life?
It is written in verses 25-28: 25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
As the brothers were eating, they met tradesmen. So Judah made a suggestion to sell Joseph to the tradesmen. The brothers agreed and Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver. When Reuben returned, Joseph was already sold.
It is written in verses 29-30: 29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”
Reuben lamented; he stopped eating and drinking.
It is written in verses 31-35: 31 Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe.” 33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son.” So his father wept for him.
This was Joseph’s destiny and tragedy. Why did these things happen to someone with an honest dream? We believe in Christ, but there are many times when we are unable to clearly explain the reasons to a certain situation. Do not forcefully analyze the situation by forcing relation to the Bible. Leave the situation unexplained. Some go see a fortuneteller. This is wrong. Time will reveal. We cannot understand God’s will fully with our human knowledge. Do not make a disturbance to understand everything. Pass if you cannot understand. Verse 36 says, “Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard.” Those who do not know God and deny him say it is destiny. However, if God is with them, it is providence; there is a hidden secret in God’s eyes. It is surprising that Joseph was sold to Pharaoh’s officials. We must learn to look at God’s providence and God’s hands that appears in the midst of suffering. The suffering may be great and God’s movement seems small. However, the secret is there. When God’s moving hands are revealed, the sufferings are explained. Joseph was wiped away by the wave of suffering. Future was dark. He lost everything. He lost contact with his father. He did not know where he was being sent.
Pay attention to four things that occurred in these situations. First, why didn’t the brothers kill Joseph in the first place but instead throw him in the cistern? Second, why did the tradesmen pass the brothers at that time? Third, why was Joseph sold for 20 pieces of silver through Judah? Fourth, why was Joseph sold to Potiphar? While Joseph suffered from great sufferings, these events occurred by God’s will. This is God’s providence. Are you suffering? I hope you do not look at your sufferings but put your interest in God and how He may provide, bless, and solve the problem. When Joseph was thrown into the cistern, there was no escape for him. No one heard him cry for help. Have you ever been in a situation where no matter how loud you cried, no one would hear? Did no one really hear? No, people may not hear or help, but there was God who heard Joseph’s cry. Believe in the God who sent Midianites to save Joseph. However, the problem is, the process of God’s salvation is frustrating in Joseph’s perspective. Joseph could be killed soon, but God only sent Midianites, slave traders. However, faith is depending on God despite circumstances. One can be bold because of dependence on God. Midianites were prelude of grace to Joseph. He did not die. Christians do not die, you do not fail. Do not worry. God’s plan for Joseph was to make him the highest leader of Egypt. For this reason, he was sent to the house of pharaoh’s officials. For this reason, Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver. I hope you see how God intervenes to comfort, protect, and encourage us to bring us from the worst circumstance to the glorious seat through Joseph’s life. Praise the amazing God. Praise the God who lends us a hand in the midst of suffering-the God who does not let us fall, but lifts our weaknesses and renews us. I pray that you would experience God’s hands and grace and be victorious.
It is written in Psalm 62:1-2: 1My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. 2He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
It is written in Psalm 121:1,4 1I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? 4indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Whoever looks up to God with faith will be helped by God and will be granted success. However, whoever looks only at circumstances and the problems will be overcome by the circumstances, fall deep into the problems, and ultimately fail. The Bible says that God’s knowledge is higher and deeper than ours. Therefore, Christians must depend on God and lean on God’s assistance. This is faith.
Joseph is a man of dreams. His life was deeply related to dreams. In Genesis 37:5, Joseph spoke of two of his dreams. His nickname was the dreamer. However, because of his dreams, Joseph was hated by his brothers-it was the start of his sufferings.
It is written in verses 12 and 13: 12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.” “Very well,” he replied.
Do you remember Shechem? It was the land where Jacob’s daughter Dinah was raped. Because of the accident, Jacob’s two sons tricked Hamor’s family and all the men in getting circumcised to kill them. Jacob who feared revenge met God as he fled. However, Jacob’s sons were grazing the flock near Shechem. They were grazing the flock in a dangerous region. For this reason, Jacob told Joseph to see how his brothers were doing. Some say Jacob’s favoritism is revealed here also; while Joseph’s brothers were tending sheep in a dangerous land, Joseph and his father was home. Anyway, Joseph obeyed. Obey whether you want to do the job or not. “I don’t have time”, “I don’t have the money”, “I am unhealthy” - do not make excuses. Take a look at Joseph. Through his short reply, his holy, obedient, honest, and pure character is revealed. God can easily use those who obey but it is difficult for God to use those who complain often. I pray that you would be among the people God can easily use. According to Isaiah 6:8, Isaiah replied to God’s calling, “Here am I. Send me!” Take a look at Acts 20:23-24. Saint Paul was in journey to death. Paul knew death was waiting for Paul in Jerusalem. However, Paul confessed, “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Paul was determined to not back down and turn back when it came to God’s work. Joseph also had this foundational characteristic of a person of faith.
It is written in verse 14: So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
Through Joseph’s obedience, I want to share three different prayer topics with you: “Give me the honest spirit”, “help me live my life dreaming Your dream”, and “help me live in obedience towards you for the rest of my life”.
It is written in verses 15-17: 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16 He replied, “I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?” 17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.
Joseph did not return home and tell his father, “I did not find them, but I heard they are headed to Dothan.” He looked for his brother. However, this message confuses us. Shouldn’t good things happen when one obeys? The end of Joseph’s obedience was not blessings. Joseph’s brothers did not welcome him. Instead, they plotted to kill him.
It is written in verses 18-20: 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
The brothers were not concerned with the message Joseph could have brought. They plotted to kill him as soon as they saw him. We see the extent of the hatred of Joseph’s brothers. How did the anger get this far? First, Jacob’s favoritism led for the brothers to have Joseph. If the father does not take his part properly, tensions will rise between the children. Second, Joseph’s dreams led his brothers to hate him. The brothers said to each other, “let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams”. The brothers held a grudge against Joseph. Here we see the one with a dream colliding with trials. Christian who truly try to live by God’s will face these trials. Joseph’s brothers tried to kill him. They planned to throw him in the cistern and lie to their father. However, the brothers’ opinions conflicted.
It is written in verses 21 and 22: 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him.”
Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. The eldest brother held a different position. He agreed to punish Joseph but to not take his life. However, if Joseph’s life was spared, wouldn’t he tell on them to their father? For this reason, some argued that they should not spare his life. There was nothing else Reuben could do but agree. That is the characteristic of a large group of people. If the atmosphere is set, there is not much the minority can do. However, Reuben argued to spare Joseph’s life.
It is written in verses 23-24: 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing- 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
How shocked Joseph must have been! This is the shock an innocent person has in the dark world. However, it is strange that an evil person live a better and healthier life than a pure person. A psalmist sang concerning this matter. Wouldn’t the innocent be tempted by God when things do not work well on top of living a lonely life?
It is written in verses 25-28: 25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed. 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
As the brothers were eating, they met tradesmen. So Judah made a suggestion to sell Joseph to the tradesmen. The brothers agreed and Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver. When Reuben returned, Joseph was already sold.
It is written in verses 29-30: 29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”
Reuben lamented; he stopped eating and drinking.
It is written in verses 31-35: 31 Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They took the ornamented robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son's robe.” 33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “in mourning will I go down to the grave to my son.” So his father wept for him.
This was Joseph’s destiny and tragedy. Why did these things happen to someone with an honest dream? We believe in Christ, but there are many times when we are unable to clearly explain the reasons to a certain situation. Do not forcefully analyze the situation by forcing relation to the Bible. Leave the situation unexplained. Some go see a fortuneteller. This is wrong. Time will reveal. We cannot understand God’s will fully with our human knowledge. Do not make a disturbance to understand everything. Pass if you cannot understand. Verse 36 says, “Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard.” Those who do not know God and deny him say it is destiny. However, if God is with them, it is providence; there is a hidden secret in God’s eyes. It is surprising that Joseph was sold to Pharaoh’s officials. We must learn to look at God’s providence and God’s hands that appears in the midst of suffering. The suffering may be great and God’s movement seems small. However, the secret is there. When God’s moving hands are revealed, the sufferings are explained. Joseph was wiped away by the wave of suffering. Future was dark. He lost everything. He lost contact with his father. He did not know where he was being sent.
Pay attention to four things that occurred in these situations. First, why didn’t the brothers kill Joseph in the first place but instead throw him in the cistern? Second, why did the tradesmen pass the brothers at that time? Third, why was Joseph sold for 20 pieces of silver through Judah? Fourth, why was Joseph sold to Potiphar? While Joseph suffered from great sufferings, these events occurred by God’s will. This is God’s providence. Are you suffering? I hope you do not look at your sufferings but put your interest in God and how He may provide, bless, and solve the problem. When Joseph was thrown into the cistern, there was no escape for him. No one heard him cry for help. Have you ever been in a situation where no matter how loud you cried, no one would hear? Did no one really hear? No, people may not hear or help, but there was God who heard Joseph’s cry. Believe in the God who sent Midianites to save Joseph. However, the problem is, the process of God’s salvation is frustrating in Joseph’s perspective. Joseph could be killed soon, but God only sent Midianites, slave traders. However, faith is depending on God despite circumstances. One can be bold because of dependence on God. Midianites were prelude of grace to Joseph. He did not die. Christians do not die, you do not fail. Do not worry. God’s plan for Joseph was to make him the highest leader of Egypt. For this reason, he was sent to the house of pharaoh’s officials. For this reason, Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver. I hope you see how God intervenes to comfort, protect, and encourage us to bring us from the worst circumstance to the glorious seat through Joseph’s life. Praise the amazing God. Praise the God who lends us a hand in the midst of suffering-the God who does not let us fall, but lifts our weaknesses and renews us. I pray that you would experience God’s hands and grace and be victorious.
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