I love the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob (and Rachel) and grandson of Issac (and Rebekah) and great-grandson of Abraham (and Sarah), in Egypt. It's riveting! I can see it being turned into a movie (I hope that's not blasphemous). I want to read ahead and find out what happens! But it gives me just one more thing to look forward to tomorrow.
So it's about 6:30 in the morning. I've been up since 4:50, and I'm not tired yet. I'm just sitting in Allen Field House (our basketball arena) enjoying the quiet hum of the heater. For basketball, we "camp" for seats in the field house. The morning right after a home game, we go to lottery, where we draw a group number. That group number is how soon we get into the field house and so we can run and grab seats in the student section to save for the rest of our group. During the week leading up to the game, we "camp" inside AFH from 6am-10pm. At any time, there can be a roll-call, and if you're group isn't there, then you get knocked off the list to the bottom. So someone has to be here at all times in case of a roll call.
That really didn't pertain at all to my reading this morning, but just a little background info on why I'm at AFH before the sun is even up.
I also finally figured out how to set the delay on my coffee-maker. It's quite simple really, but I have never taken the time to read the instructions that came with it. I never have taken the time to explore it. Now that I have, I'm able to set the delay so my coffee is ready for me when I come out of my room in the morning. The fresh aroma is able to wake me up and get me set. All I had to do was read the instructions. All I have to do is prepare (the night before) so that I can have my coffee ready for me.
Is that not what the Bible is? It's an instruction manual on how to live our lives. If we take the time to read it, to explore it, we can have our hearts and minds prepared everyday to wake us up, refreshed, and face the world.
Our lives are about preparing, exploring, and doing things for the Lord. And one thing I have learned is the power of prayer. I have been reading Preparing to Be a Help Meet by Debi Pearl from No Greater Joy Ministries. I read Created To Be His Help Meet by Michael and Debi Pearl which was fantastic. I am not only preparing my heart for the plans God has for me not only within marriage, but in ministry, but I'm preparing my mind. If I know what to expect when married, if I know what I want in a spouse and how to honor him based on his gifts, then I'm doing God's will. If I'm praying everyday for my future spouse, my husband, and myself for wisdom and discernment in all that I do, then I'm doing God's will. God wants us to pray about everything because he desires nothing more than to help us. He wants us to succeed, he wants us to live in his word, he wants to bless us, but for some reason, we absolutely refuse.
It's like when children don't want to eat there vegetables at dinner. Parents will usually try to bribe them with dessert, but there are still kids who refuse to eat them! They would rather sit at the table, have punishments, and not get a reward because they don't want to do something that someone else is imposing on them. Even if it tastes bad for a second, you have that wonderful dessert to look forward to.
Is that not our relationship with God? It's like he's jumping up and down, waving his arms saying, "Follow me! Please! Come to me! I can give you comfort! I can give you joy! I can bless you!" But most of us live our own lives. We refuse the sweet delight of Heaven and eternal life because we have to endure a moment of sour grapes.
Joseph endured. He endured YEARS in prison. He was faithful to God. He prayed. He relied on God. He gave God all the glory. And you know what? Because Joseph endured for God, he was blessed.
My favorite, absolute favorite scripture from today was this:
"1 I love you, LORD;
you are my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
3 I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies."
Psalm 18:1-3
Is that not beautiful? God wants us to turn to him for everything. All we have to do is ASK? Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
Amen! Just ask for everything in your life. Pray for those things, because God wants to give us our dessert. We just have to eat our vegetables.
God Bless,
Lauren
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